Adrian Newey responds to Christian Horner claims in new memoir

Tension over 2014 power unit struggles

Adrian Newey has responded to Christian Horner’s claim that he wanted to "abandon ship" at Red Bull during the 2014 turbo-hybrid era. In the autobiography Drive, released 22 October, Horner said he felt sad because he could no longer rely on Newey after the designer received an offer to join Ferrari in mid-2014. Horner told The Times that the partnership was not as solid as he believed because Newey sought a way out at the first sign of adversity. Newey, the Aston Martin team principal and managing technical partner, said the 2014 situation was "quite bleak" because the Renault power unit manufacturer lacked the intention to address its performance problems. The Milton Keynes-based squad finished that season with 405 points, which was almost 300 points adrift of the dominant Mercedes team that managed 16 wins. Reliability issues with the MGU-K persisted with the Renault supply for years before the team switched to Honda in 2019. Newey, who has not yet read the memoir, said he was in conversation with Horner at the time and suggested Horner did not fully understand his "pain and frustration." He explained that as a chassis designer, he accepts a bad year from a manufacturer, but if the manufacturer does not appear to have any intention of trying to address the problem, that is a different matter.

Relationship between Newey and Horner

The tension between the former colleagues stems from the period when Red Bull struggled to match the dominance of Mercedes. Horner also claimed Newey’s move to Aston Martin left him "blindsided." Newey, who left Red Bull in 2025 after two decades with the team, said that he and Horner remain friends and that he is godfather to Horner’s daughter, Olivia. During the FIA team principals’ press conference ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Newey addressed the claims made in the memoir regarding his mindset during the 2014 campaign. He agreed with Horner’s comparison between the current situation at Aston Martin and the early days of Red Bull. Horner drew parallels between Newey’s work at Aston Martin and the period when Red Bull bought the Jaguar outfit in 2005. Both teams experienced changes in owners and senior management, requiring efforts to break down silos and improve team culture. Newey, who signed a new contract to stay at Red Bull in 2014 after turning down Ferrari, stayed at the team for another decade before leaving in 2024. He added that both teams required focus on getting everyone working together.

Horner’s departure and future

Horner left his role as Red Bull Racing CEO and team principal in July 2025. He spent twenty years with the Milton Keynes squad, where he oversaw eight Drivers’ Championships and six Constructors’ Championships during the eras of Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. While Horner has been linked to a return to Formula 1, he told CBS News at the Autosport Business Exchange in New York that he is in no hurry to return to the paddock. He stated that any comeback would require a "compelling" project with people who want to win. Horner described Newey as the best designer Formula 1 has ever seen. He added that Lawrence Stroll has invested heavily in Aston Martin and that the team has its own journey. Horner’s departure from Red Bull followed a long tenure that included dominant periods with Sebastian Vettel between 2010 and 2013. Horner previously revealed he nearly lost his job in 2006 when he received a letter before the Monaco Grand Prix stating his contract would not be renewed. David Coulthard’s third-place finish that weekend helped him retain his position during his second season as team principal.