History of Adrian Newey in Timeline

Adrian Newey is a highly acclaimed British engineer and aerodynamicist in Formula One. Known for his innovative designs, Newey has been instrumental in numerous championship victories, contributing to 14 Drivers' and 12 Constructors' titles across teams like Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull Racing. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest engineers in Formula One history. He is currently technical director and co-owner of Aston Martin in Formula One and will be assuming the role of team principal from 2026.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

December 1958: Adrian Newey's Birth

In December 1958, Adrian Martin Newey was born in Colchester, Essex, England, to Richard and Edwina Newey.

December 1958: Birth of Adrian Newey

In December 1958, Adrian Martin Newey was born. He is a British engineer, aerodynamicist, automotive designer, and motorsport executive.

1980: Graduation from University of Southampton

In 1980, Adrian Newey obtained a first class honors degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Southampton.

1981: Joined March team

In 1981, Adrian Newey joined the March team.

1983: Married first wife Amanda

In 1983, Adrian Newey married his first wife, Amanda, a nurse, and they had two daughters.

1983: IMSA Title Win

In 1983, Adrian Newey's March 83G sports car design won the IMSA GT Championship title.

1984: Moved to March Indy Car Project

In 1984, Adrian Newey moved to the March Indy car project, working as designer and race engineer for Bobby Rahal at Truesports.

1984: IMSA Title Win

In 1984, Adrian Newey's March 83G sports car design won the IMSA GT Championship title.

1985: CART Championship and Indianapolis 500 Wins

In 1985, Adrian Newey's March 85C design won the CART championship with Al Unser, and the Indianapolis 500 with Danny Sullivan.

1985: CART Title Win

In 1985, Adrian Newey's designs won the CART title.

1986: CART Championship and Indianapolis 500 Wins

In 1986, Adrian Newey's March 86C design won the CART championship and Indianapolis 500 with Bobby Rahal.

1986: CART Title Win

In 1986, Adrian Newey's designs won the CART title.

1987: Re-hired by March

In 1987, after a stint at Newman-Haas, Adrian Newey was re-hired by March to work in Formula One as chief designer.

1988: First Formula One Design

In 1988, Adrian Newey's first Formula One design, the March 881, showed unexpected competitiveness, with Ivan Capelli finishing second in Portugal.

1988: McLaren MP4/4 record

In 1988, the McLaren MP4/4 set a win record of 93.8% which was later beat in 2023.

1989: Separation from first wife

In 1989, Adrian Newey and his first wife Amanda separated.

1990: Promotion to Technical Director at Leyton House Racing

In 1990, Adrian Newey was promoted to technical director as March became Leyton House Racing and later fired in the summer after a decline in the team's results.

1991: FW14 Chassis

By mid-season 1991, Adrian Newey's FW14 chassis was a match for McLaren, however, reliability issues prevented Nigel Mansell from winning the title.

1991: Start of Williams career

From 1991, Adrian Newey's cars secured 59 race victories, 78 pole positions, and 60 fastest laps all from 114 races from 1991 until 1997. These seven years saw four drivers clinch World Championship titles.

1991: First Grand Prix Win

In 1991, Adrian Newey's designs began winning Grands Prix. His designs have secured 223 Grand Prix victories between 1991 and 2024.

1992: Married second wife Marigold

In 1992, Adrian Newey married his second wife, Marigold, and they had a daughter, and son Harrison.

1992: First Constructors' Title

In 1992, Adrian Newey secured his first Constructors' title, with Nigel Mansell taking the Drivers' title.

1993: Second Constructors' Title

In 1993, Adrian Newey's FW15C helped Alain Prost secure the Drivers' title, resulting in his second Constructors' title.

1994: Dip in Performance and Senna's Death

In 1994, Adrian Newey-designed cars saw a performance dip, and the team struggled to match Schumacher. Ayrton Senna died at the San Marino Grand Prix that year. Despite this, Williams claimed their third straight Constructors' title.

1994: Death of Ayrton Senna

In 1994, Ayrton Senna died at the San Marino Grand Prix in a car that Adrian Newey helped to design, leading to manslaughter charges against Newey and other members of the Williams team.

1995: Ready to become technical director

In 1995, it became clear that Adrian Newey was once more ready to become technical director of a team.

1996: Gardening Leave

By the time Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve secured both titles in 1996, Adrian Newey had been placed on gardening leave prior to joining McLaren.

December 1997: Newey acquitted of manslaughter charges

In December 1997, Adrian Newey was acquitted of manslaughter charges following the death of Ayrton Senna at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix in a car that Newey helped design.

1997: End of Williams career

1997: Improvement on MP4/12 Design

In 1997, Adrian Newey was unable to influence the design of the McLaren MP4/12 and focused on improving Neil Oatley's design while concentrating his efforts on the 1998 car.

1998: Titles Followed

In 1998, titles followed with the McLaren MP4/13.

November 1999: Acquittal upheld on appeal

In November 1999, Adrian Newey's acquittal was upheld on appeal regarding the manslaughter charges related to Ayrton Senna's death in 1994.

1999: Titles Followed

In 1999, titles followed with the McLaren MP4/14, and Mika Häkkinen narrowly missed out on a third Drivers' title in 2000.

2000: Titles Followed

In 1999, titles followed with the McLaren MP4/14, and Mika Häkkinen narrowly missed out on a third Drivers' title in 2000.

2000: Harrison Newey participates in Formula 2000 Championship

In 2000, Harrison Newey participates in Formula 2000 Championship.

2001: Contract with Jaguar F1 Team

In 2001, Adrian Newey signed a contract with the Jaguar F1 team, but the deal was not completed due to Ron Dennis persuading Newey to stay with McLaren.

January 2003: Case re-opened by Italy's Supreme Court

In January 2003, Italy's Supreme Court of Cassation re-opened the manslaughter case against Adrian Newey, citing "material errors."

2004: Uncertain Future at McLaren

In late 2004, Adrian Newey's future at McLaren became uncertain, with speculation of a return to Williams or leaving the sport.

April 2005: Contract Extension

In April 2005, Adrian Newey's contract with McLaren was extended by six months, with expectations of a sabbatical or retirement from Formula One design.

May 2005: Newey given full acquittal

In May 2005, Adrian Newey was given a full acquittal by Italy's Supreme Court of Cassation in the manslaughter case related to Ayrton Senna's death.

November 2005: Joining Red Bull Racing

On November 8, 2005, Red Bull Racing announced that Adrian Newey would join the team from February 2006.

February 2006: Joining Red Bull Racing

On November 8, 2005, Red Bull Racing announced that Adrian Newey would join the team from February 2006.

2006: Staying with McLaren

In 2006, Adrian Newey announced he would remain with McLaren for the year.

2006: Ford GT40 destroyed

In 2006, Adrian Newey destroyed a Ford GT40 while competing in the Le Mans Legend races, but escaped with only a cut finger.

2006: Move to Red Bull

In 2006, Adrian Newey moved to Red Bull after designing championship-winning Formula One cars for Williams and McLaren.

2007: Joined Red Bull Racing

In 2007, Adrian Newey joined Red Bull Racing.

2007: 24 Hours of Le Mans

In 2007, Adrian Newey transitioned to modern racing, joining the driver line-up in the AF Corse Ferrari F430 for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 22nd overall and fourth in class.

2007: Red Bull Achievements

In 2007, Adrian Newey's Red Bull car (RB3) was powered by the Renault RS26 engine. Despite reliability issues, Red Bull achieved fifth place in the Constructors' Championship.

2008: Intricate Design of RB4

In 2008, Adrian Newey and Geoff Willis noted that the RB4 chassis was the most intricate design from their factory. The season started well but declined in the second half.

2009: Large Step Up in Performance

In 2009, the RB5, which was designed by Adrian Newey, represented a large step up in performance for the team, achieving one–two finishes at Shanghai and the British Grand Prix.

June 2010: Collaboration on Gran Turismo 5

On June 15, 2010, during the Sony E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo, it was revealed that Adrian Newey collaborated as the chief technical officer for the video game Gran Turismo 5 for the PlayStation 3.

Sony Playstation 3 160GB System (Renewed)

Check it on Amazon

July 2010: Rewarded with his own Red Bull RB5

On July 2, 2010, Adrian Newey was rewarded with his own Red Bull RB5 in recognition of his achievements with Red Bull Racing since joining the team in 2007, and he first drove the car at the 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

August 2010: Accident at Ginetta G50 Cup

On August 8, 2010, Adrian Newey was involved in an accident while participating in the Ginetta G50 Cup at the Snetterton circuit as a guest driver, sustaining a heavy side-on impact and being taken to hospital for checks.

November 2010: Constructors' Championship

On November 14, 2010, Red Bull won the Constructors' Championship. Adrian Newey became the only Formula One designer to have won Constructors' Championships with three different teams.

2010: Formula One Titles

From 2010 to 2013, Adrian Newey's cars secured consecutive Formula One Drivers' and Constructors' titles for Red Bull.

2010: Start of Four Consecutive Constructors' Titles

From 2010, Adrian Newey-designed chassis won four consecutive Constructors' titles with Red Bull, ending in 2013.

2010: Separation from second wife

In 2010, Adrian Newey and his second wife Marigold separated.

2011: Dominance of RB7

In 2011, the RB7 built on the RB6's speed and proved to be reliable, making it the clearly dominant car. Red Bull won the World Drivers' Championship on 9 October and secured the Constructors' Championship on 16 October at the Korean Grand Prix.

2012: Championship Win

In 2012, Red Bull and Vettel claimed the championship at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

2013: Formula One Titles

From 2010 to 2013, Adrian Newey's cars secured consecutive Formula One Drivers' and Constructors' titles for Red Bull.

2013: Red Bull last Constructors' Championship until 2022

In 2013, before 2022, Red Bull secured their first Constructors' Championship.

2013: World Championships

In 2013, the RB9 and Vettel dominated the field after the summer break to defend both the World Drivers' and World Constructors' Championship.

2013: End of Four Consecutive Constructors' Titles

Until 2013, Adrian Newey-designed chassis won four consecutive Constructors' titles with Red Bull, starting in 2010.

June 2014: Contract Extension

On June 8, 2014, Red Bull Racing announced that Adrian Newey had extended his contract for the next few seasons, giving him a wider responsibility including "new Red Bull Technology projects".

2014: Renault power units held back Newey's cars

In 2014, after the introduction of V6 turbo-hybrid power units, Adrian Newey's cars faced performance limitations due to the Renault power units. The RB10 took second place in the 2014 Constructors' Championship.

2015: RB11 wins at least two Grands Prix

In 2015, the RB11 designed by Adrian Newey and driven by Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat won at least two Grands Prix.

2016: Son Harrison wins MRF Challenge Formula 2000 Championship

In 2016, Adrian Newey's son, Harrison, won the 2016–17 MRF Challenge Formula 2000 Championship.

2016: RB12 takes second place

In 2016, the RB12 designed by Adrian Newey secured second place in the Constructors' Championship.

August 2017: Married Amanda Smerczak

In August 2017, Adrian Newey married Amanda "Mandy" Smerczak, the daughter of South African actor Ron Smerczak.

October 2018: Advisory board member of the W Series

On October 10, 2018, Adrian Newey was announced as an advisory board member of the forthcoming W Series, a racing championship for women based on Formula 3-homologated Tatuus T-318 chassis.

2019: Switch to Honda power

In 2019, a switch to Honda power units provided Adrian Newey's team with the capability to compete for titles.

2020: RB16 takes second place

In 2020, the RB16 designed by Adrian Newey secured second place in the Constructors' Championship.

2021: Drivers' Championship win with RB16B

In 2021, Adrian Newey's RB16B design led the team back to title contention, resulting in Max Verstappen winning the Drivers' Championship.

2021: Drivers' Championship

In 2021, Adrian Newey's designed cars won the Formula One Drivers' Championship.

2022: Drivers' and Constructors' Titles

In 2022, Adrian Newey's designed cars won both the Formula One Drivers' and Constructors' titles.

2022: RB18 wins Drivers' and Constructors' Championships

In 2022, the RB18, designed by Adrian Newey, proved to be a strong contender, securing Max Verstappen's second Drivers' Championship at the Japanese Grand Prix and Red Bull's first Constructors' Championship since 2013.

2023: RB19 Dominance

In 2023, Adrian Newey's RB19 became one of the most dominant Formula One cars in history, achieving a win rate of 95.45%.

2023: Drivers' and Constructors' Titles

In 2023, Adrian Newey's designed cars won both the Formula One Drivers' and Constructors' titles.

2023: Red Bull's 100th Win and Newey's 200th Win

In 2023, at the Canadian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen achieved Red Bull's 100th win, which also marked Adrian Newey's 200th win in Formula One. Also in 2023, Red Bull broke McLaren's record of 11 consecutive victories by winning in Hungary, and at Monza, Verstappen broke Vettel's record of 9 consecutive wins, marking the 15th in a row for Red Bull.

April 2024: Reports of Newey's potential departure from Red Bull

On April 25, 2024, media outlets reported Adrian Newey's potential departure from Red Bull, with Red Bull Racing stating that he is contracted until at least the end of 2025. Five days later in April 2024, reports suggested Newey's departure was complete, with an official announcement expected before the Miami Grand Prix.

May 2024: Departure from Formula One Design Duties

On May 1, 2024, Red Bull Racing announced that Adrian Newey would immediately leave his day-to-day Formula One design duties to focus on the RB17 hypercar.

September 2024: Newey signs contract with Aston Martin

In September 2024, Adrian Newey signed a contract with Aston Martin, becoming a shareholder and Managing Technical Partner for the team.

2024: Recognition as one of the greatest engineers

As of 2024, Adrian Newey-designed chassis have won 12 World Constructors' Championships and 14 World Drivers' Championships, making him widely recognized as one of the greatest engineers in Formula One.

2024: Continued Grand Prix Wins

By 2024, Adrian Newey's designs had achieved 223 Grand Prix victories since 1991, showcasing his enduring impact in Formula One.

March 2025: Newey to officially start work at Aston Martin

On March 1, 2025, Adrian Newey is set to officially begin his work at Aston Martin, in time for the 2026 regulations.

November 2025: Newey to become Team Principal at Aston Martin

In November 2025, it was announced that Adrian Newey will take over the role of Team Principal at Aston Martin in 2026, replacing Andy Cowell.

2025: Newey to step away from Formula One duties

In 2025, Adrian Newey left Red Bull Racing during the first quarter and stepped away from his Formula One duties, while still working on their first hypercar, the RB17.