Max Verstappen should try to convince Adrian Newey to stay at Red Bull, Jenson Button says on Sky Sports F1 Podcast | F1 news

Max Verstappen should try to convince legendary designer Adrian Newey to stay at Red Bull, says Sky Sports F1’s Jenson Button.

It emerged last week that Neui had informally informed fellow senior Red Bull colleagues of his desire to sever his two-decade ties to the current world champion team.

Verstappen has won three consecutive drivers’ titles in newly-designed cars and is on track to win four of the first five races of 2024 heading into this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix.

Button, who will part Sky Sports F1 team in Miami, said in a recent episode Sky Sports F1 Podcast Verstappen may be underestimating his potential impact on Newey.

“I don’t think it bothered Max. He’s pretty focused on the job at hand,” Button said.

“For a guy like Max, will he come in three or four years? We don’t know that. But if he wants to be racing in F1 and he wants the great Adrian Neuilly to work and develop his car, it’s a big thing for drivers to go to team principals or chief designers and spend time with them.

“I think it would be really good for Max or his teammate in the future to spend time with Adrian and sit him down and go over the reasons why he might or might not want to be around. Be around.”

Newey has worked at Red Bull since 2006 and has been a key figure in their subsequent rise to the F1 superpower, leading the design of the cars that have taken the team to all 13 of their world titles.

Button continued: “Drivers don’t realize how much pull they have on the team. They think they’re driving, doing PR work, doing engineering meetings, but the amount of pull they have on the team is huge, especially someone like Max.

“And it’s the human element of spending time with key personnel on the team that might be thinking about leaving, spending time with them and working out the reasons for that. And maybe you can work with that person.

“And I think it’s something that the drivers don’t realize, but I think I’m starting a little bit more, they’re not only in the world of Formula 1 and social media, but within the team and keeping the team. People together, they build a great team of people around them.”

‘Newey exit could hurt Red Bull atmosphere’

Neui’s possible departure would send shockwaves around F1 if it finally materializes amid a period of continued turmoil at Red Bull following an investigation by its Austrian parent company earlier this year into allegations of misconduct against team principal Christian Horner by a female colleague. .

The complaint against Horner, who has always denied the claims, was dismissed on February 28. The woman who brought the complaint has since appealed the outcome.

Button says Newey’s departure could “hurt the atmosphere” at Red Bull, but doesn’t expect an immediate impact on performance.

“If they’re not happy, it’s a shame because they’re in a good place in terms of performance at the moment, Red Bull,” Button said. “But for the sport, it would be nice if we saw him somewhere else, give another team a chance.

“The problem is that it takes years to develop a car. It’s not overnight, and I don’t think he’ll be allowed to work with another team for a few years. I read something that he should take up gardening. Leave until 2027.

“So it’s not really going to help the team until 2029, I guess, which is a long way down the road. But it’s obviously going to hurt Red Bull and it’s probably going to hurt the atmosphere in the team a little bit. The guy in the team who’s been developing this amazing car that they’ve had year after year is not happy and wants to leave.

“If that’s true, I don’t know, I haven’t heard it from anyone here, so I can’t say one way or the other, but it’s definitely a big story, the biggest story Formula 1 has seen. It’s been a while.”

‘Max finishes his career at Red Bull’

Newey’s potential exit is likely to create fresh speculation over Verstappen’s future, with the Dutchman already linked with a move to Mercedes.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has said he would “love” to sign Verstappen as a replacement for Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton and admitted he was “waiting” for the Red Bull driver’s decision at the recent Chinese Grand Prix.

Button, however, expects Verstappen to stay with Red Bull.

“Max is not going to leave, he doesn’t need to leave,” Button said.

“He’s in such a strong position right now. I personally think Max will see out his career at Red Bull. That’s how I feel. Whether it’s three years, five years, whatever it is, I think he’ll finish his career at Red Bull.

“When a driver says he’s going to leave and he’s already in the best car and he’s a three-time world champion, it’s exciting for us, it’s like, ‘Yeah, it’s great.’

“But it’s already exciting. These years we’ll be talking about Max Verstappen, the greats and Red Bull for decades.”

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