Horner addresses Newey’s future: ‘he’ll be at Red Bull for many more years’

Christian Horner insists Adrian Newey will remain at Red Bull “for many years to come” following recent speculation surrounding his future at the team.

Newey is widely considered to be one of Formula 1’s greatest-ever car designers in an trophy-ridden career that has seen his cars win 12 world drivers’ championships.

His latest design, the RB19, is on course to join that list after Red Bull’s dominant start to the season, winning the opening three races in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Australia.

Reports surfaced last month that Newey’s contract at Red Bull was set to expire, leading to claims he could leave the Milton Keynes-based outfit.

But Horner, who hired Newey back in 2005, shutdown suggestions that his chief technical officer’s tenure at Red Bull could be coming to an end.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Horner said: “His heart is still very much in Formula 1 and his commitment to the team is, it’s not something…”

“We don’t talk about contracts or longevity of contracts, but he’ll be here for many years to come.

“There’s always going to be rumours in this paddock, that’s Formula 1.”

He added: “He’s such an important part of our team and popular part of our team.

“It’s great to have him with us for the long term, but also to be involved in some of the things we’re now getting involved in.”

Horner was also pressed on world champion Max Verstappen’s future following his recent comments that he could quit F1 amid further changes to the weekend format.

Verstappen previously hinted he would not race beyond his current Red Bull deal, which concludes at the end of the 2028 season, but Horner doesn’t expect him to walk away before his contract ends.

“Max is his own man and he’s very, very strong in his opinions and on his outlook on what he wants to do in his life,” he said.

“I don’t see him being a Fernando Alonso and still racing at 41 or 42 years of age, or maybe not in Formula 1, but what his love and passion is, is racing.

“If he’s not racing on track at the moment, he’s racing in the virtual world, he’s driving GT cars for fun, and his passion is just driving and racing, and while that burns within him, he’s going to keep going.

“But how long that burns for, that’s each individual’s own journey, they’ve got to find that out for themselves.”