Are you talking about Allison by chance ? Right now his situation at Mercedes should be a dream without any kind of tension or pressure ..
John Barnard, and Steve Nichols come to mind. They don't seem to have fond memory of working for the Scuderia; I think Allison couldn't wait to get away from the toxic environment too ... As for the drivers, the list if so long !!!
You misunderstand the thread. This isn't about where we want him to go but where we think he will go. I don't think Ferrari is the place he'd want to go if I'm honest. If he wants equity and a chance for his name to be a part of the legacy of the company, neither of those are really going to happen at Ferrari. He will never eclipse Enzo - and even if he wins two or three titles there, he'll still be behind DeMontezemolo, Todt, Schumacher and Brawn in terms of achievement. I just don't see what they offer him other than money. Aston can give him all of that other stuff, equity, he takes them to a title or two and his name becomes up there with David Brown (and probably have to put Stroll there for pulling it off), they're already building a car he designed and thinking about taking it to Lemans. What does Ferrari offer him above that, or even equivalent to that? The opportunity to work with Lewis Hamilton? He's great, sure, but so is that Alonso guy....
For his sake, I wish Newey never goes to Ferrari. He will be welcomed like the Saviour, bringing with him a lot of expectation. Then, if the results take too long to come, the Italian press will start to criticise. If a championship doesn't come within a couple of years, he will be blamed for it and be accused of incompetence, the tifosi will turn against him, etc ... That's the way it works at Ferrari: they always need a scapegoat. That would be a terrible way for Newey to end his career. Better for him to retire now, IMO.
Nichols is American but Postelthwaite didnt fair any better but as you say its a very toxic & highly emotional environment.
Respectfully disagree, You and others really don’t understand what Ferrari means for a lot of people which are passionate about Motorsport and sports cars. Truth is Elkan and Vasseur are cleaning up the team with already good results. Atmosphere within the team is good according numerous sources and money isn’t the deciding factor for guys like Hamilton and Newey at this stage. Winning a single championship with a Ferrari would be a true achievement for them, believe me, because this is very difficult task as we all know. A very prestigious reward. And because Ferrari is Ferrari.. Period.
Lol We are waiting since 17 years for a WDC and 18 years for a WCC.Believe me,tifosis are ready for two or three more years of penitence.
I think Hamilton to Ferrari will be fine.. I'm not sure I expect much more than what he does now at MB...? but maybe fresh air will help him? who knows. I do not expect a dramatic turn in form... regardless of the driver. If Newy goes to Ferrari - I think it could be interesting, but it will not be immediate... and that is the problem. If he goes there - will he stay, and feel at home? OR will he have the same issues that John Barnard and Rory Byrne had? Will Ferrari allow him to make changes when needed? or will the C suite continue to meddle? finally, will The Italian press and Ferrari give him the room to create before they tear into him? None of what I have written is accurate to what has happened in the past. Fangio Surtees, Lauda, Villeneuve, Alboreato, Berger, Alesi, Prost, Irvine, Barichello, Schumacher, Montezemolo, Forgheri, Todt, Brawn, etc... all have suffered at the hands of the Italian press and Ferrari. Only Brawn and Todt can be said to have withstood the onslaught and been unscathed. I love Ferrari and am passionate about them... but because of that I understand the huge challenge it is to win with them. That is why winning with Ferrari is so special ... in spite of themselves!
I'm not sure we are seeing the same Ferrari F-1 team. The team seem on the edge, and not at all coordinated. they have been struggling and will likely continue to do so. For Newey to go there, in my opinion, there has to be a measure of full authority and autonomy... which has always been very hard - next to impossible to give someone who is not either a Ferrari family or FIAT insider. The only successful person outside of Enzo has been Montezemolo... and only because he had Angelli behind him. Entering Ferrari as an outsider is like walking into a cage with 1000 lions who have not eat a meal for a month.
Said by someone coming every day on a Ferrari forum,arguing permanently with tifosis about their passion and mocking them because of this. Fortunately I’m feeling a lot more coherent compared with you !
My last move was at 55 (now 71) and at 55 I swore never to need to be in a position to move again EVER. {And I succeeded} It is too much hassle for such a minimal gain at my age.
My family is from Sicily - my father was born there, and I went last summer and drove the Targa Florio route. I have wanted a Ferrari since I was a kid. I still have the posters that were on my wall and now have the car that was in the poster, with license plate "Tifosi." When I play video games - and yeah, I'm 45 and still play video games because I'm motorsports obsessed - I only drive Ferraris. I've taken my 355 to the track and caught it on fire and rebuilt it myself. I wouldn't be an engineer with enough money to buy a Ferrari if that hadn't been my aspiration since I was a kid. I just bought another one. So yes, I fully understand what Ferrari means, and what it means to be passionate about Ferrari, probably more than most. Here is precisely why I don't think Newey is as passionate about Ferrari as you think. If he were, he'd have taken the job with them the first time it was seriously offered, not the 3rd or 4th. I know I would have - I actually interviewed for a job with Ferrari NA out of college and would have taken that job in a second were it offered. Newey has had plenty of opportunities to work for Ferrari when they needed him more than they do now. Aston can give him equity, Ferrari can't, at least nowhere near as much. Aston has a road car, designed by him, that they are talking about taking to Lemans in the top class. Ferrari already has one, not designed by him. Ferrari has won 16 WCC's and have designers/leaders that have won 5 of them. He would have to win 5+ to be considered among the elite at Ferrari. If he wins one at Aston, British like he is, he becomes a legend in that company and in the minds of his countrymen. If he were passionate enough about Ferrari for those things to not matter, he'd already be there. They tried to get him when he left Williams, tried again when he left McLaren, and tried a 3rd time to pry him from Red Bull when RB let him design a boat instead. You don't turn down Ferrari three times if you are passionate about it. I would love to be wrong.
Actually and technically, he also turned down Ferrari BEFORE the Ferrari IndyCar didn't pan out as well.....fyi.
Then if he rejoin the Scuderia next year, what will be his deep motivation to do this according to you ?
Rumors said ( pinch of salt ) Lawrence Stroll is offering more money.. It doesn’t matter in the end. I just hope he will come next year to contribute at building a Championship winning Ferrari for 2026. I would be delighted to see this. I just wonder what the embittered would find wrong if this happened?
It's just that the odds of that happening are very slim. You believe that Newey can navigate from team to team and repeat his magic every time. The sceptic that I am don't see that in the horizon.
I think the reality is that Newey does not need a job any more. So then it comes down to his motivation and the likely is ego, and or his real passion and love for racing. Leaving Red Bull he has more to lose than gain if you think about your legacy. He has moved up to likely the best designer in F-1... clearly besides Chapman & Murray. Clearly ahead of the Byrne / Brawn duo. If I were him Williams has the most allure. He can go there, get a huge slice of the team ownership - and call all the shots he was never allowed to before - and if he wins there ... immense pride that he did it his way. Ferrari's success will always be Ferrari, then Newey, NEVER Adrian Newey alone. OR He goes for a huge paycheck at Ferrari, and cheap parts for his vintage cars.....
I was walking from Sainte Devote up to Casino Square on Thursday and saw Adrian and Zak walking down the hill towards me. I said to Adrian "Come and join us! You know you want to!" and pointed at my Ferrari cap. He smiled and carried on walking. I took that as proof that a deal will be announced in Imola!
I don’t think he’s nearly as innovative as John Barnard. He’s clearly very smart and has a big intellect but Barnard is a genius in my opinion.
