He would rather run a woman’s league
Horner is not going anywhere. This is an internal fight between Mark Matichetz ( sp) and the Yvoohid ( sp ) family who started Reb Bull. Horner is tied up with the Thai, side of Red Bull, and the Son wants full control. The Son and Marko are on one side, Horner and the Thais on the other ... It would be more likely that Verstappen leaves because of that. That could cause Horner or Marko to leave... doubt both. Horner to Ferrari would be even worse than now. other than his ability to bring more staff in the strategy area.... there is no other use for him. They needed Newey, or someone to take control of the design and strategy side.... but so far have spend all their $$ on Hamilton.
I’m not sure Newey is the savior he’s made out to be. He’s much older, richer than he was, with lots of toys and distractions. I really wonder if he’s as motivated as he was when in his prime. He doesn’t have to protect his legacy….the British press will do that for him. I’m very interested to see if he can pull the expected rabbit from the AM hat.
I like to think of Newey as the "Kelly Johnson" at Skunkworks(Lockheed) using old school engineering tools to advance his engineering prowess to design the "SR-71's" of F1.
I’m not doubting his brilliance but I think expectations are very likely unrealistic. I’m not sure tifosi should be lamenting his not going to Ferrari. His chances of success there would have been even more remote than they will be at AM in my opinion.
That'll also give him more time to spend with his Spice Wife. I don't see him taking on another full time team boss role if he leaves Red Bull. All the best, Andrew.
I cannot see Newey fitting at Ferrari at all. Ferrari is in the habit of "throwing the baby with the bath water", to look for a scapegoat when things don't turn to their expectation. Plenty of talented engineers, designers and technicians have been through Maranello doors through the years, accused of failure.
…..and some of them British. Newey would have likely been the next Barnard, but I believe far less talented to be honest.
Maybe, but I’ll put it this way: If I had to choose a designer/engineer at his prime John Barnard would be my easy choice.
Oh, interesting topic. I'm not so sure. Murray, Patrick Head and Colin Chapman come to my mind. Barnard was successful at heart transplants. I give you that.
Agree. However Adrian Newey is a bit different. Ferrari and Aston are unique in that they own a road car company and that is where Newey wanted to have some influence as well. If you remember Red bull was making their own hyper car for the road until they are not - that was to appease Newey and keep him there. I think one person cant make a car today, but that one person can interpret the rules, and give specific design orders and coordinate the strategy of how the car works and comes together.... that is what Newey does. as for getting along at Ferrari... he is a much more nerdy type guy, who likes stuff to tinker with, I think Ferrari would / could be an ideal place.... but they have to accept that he is a brit, and accept that he will come and go, and not always be in Italia. Until they give up on the Italianisms of Ferrari .. they will struggle. One country / nationality is just not going to produce the best engineers in all the areas you need to make a winning car. .... LDM for all his faults had it right......
Ummm, not so sure. I think Barnard's legacy is not as great as it once was. He was notoriously difficult to work with, and kept good designers from progressing - Neil Oatley, Steve Nichols, etc... however in the early 80's he was the man. sadly that all petered out after his McLaren days. the 1990 Ferrari being the exception, but again he just could not work with Ferrari. ( not that it was his fault when Piero was sniping from the side lines.) .
No body has so far in my opinion eclipsed Colin Chapman. the thing is that his contributions are so fundamental to F1 and Racing cars, that it now just seems "that is the way you do it" .... Chapman was a great engineer, and designer, but even more so great at working people to get the best ideas, and results from them. Perhaps not always the nicest guy, but by far the most influential in terms of Design. Enzo Ferrari the most influential in Racing period by dint of his long life in racing, but Chapman for how his thoughts have impacted every F1 car since 1960.
Yes, I know from reading The Perfect Car that he had that reputation. I think his genius for innovation is what sets him apart. He didn’t imagine doing something a different or better way. He imagined doing things no one had ever done….much like Chapman, as @DF1 says.
FW07 was a brilliant car. Lifted a complete backmarker team like Williams to the championship. The chassis was copied by everybody with a Cossie.
Maybe the man who impressed me the most as designer, and is largely forgotten today, is Mauro Forghieri, the Ferrari engineer. Promoted very young chief engineer at the Scuderia by Enzo Ferrari, Forghieri succeded to Carlo Chiti.. It was certainly a pair of shoes difficult to fill, but in spite of his young age Forghieri earned respected by his attitude. Success followed, Ferrari won several endurance races each year, a title with Surtees, and was the main opposant to Ford onslaught. For more than a decade, Forghieri did oversee the designs and development of F1s, F2s, sportscars (P2, P3, P4, Dino), CanAm, etc ... He accompanied the team at races, in support to different principals over the years, ensuring some continuity at the Scuderia. At Maranello, if not in his office, Forghieri was on the shop floor among the mechanics who adored him, A real hands on engineer !!!
Chapman is known for his search for light weight, the combination of rigid chassis and long travel suspension, and aero experiments. He wasn't too rigourous in his methods, as a result of which his cars were fragile (some said dangerous).
I’m not denying that he did that. I’m just saying it’s not above the level of achievement of the others. Besides, a single car’s success is measured at least in part against its competition.