Once of the most important pieces of F1 news for a very long time was announced yesterday, more with a whimper than a bang. Adrian Newey, the most influential and gifted F1 designer, is moving from McLaren to Red Bull. Let me just say that again: Adrian Newey is moving from McLaren to Red Bull. Why? He fancies a new challenge. Other than moving to a smaller team I fail to see what the challenge is. The last time he got itchy feet Newey said that he was going to give up F1 so that he could work on designing an America’s cup challenger – that seems to have gone out the window. Red Bull are at pains to say that it has been nothing to do with money. That said Newey won’t have come cheap which just goes to show how much money there is to be made in selling Red Bull. In the last year Red Bull have bought two F1 teams, financed one through last season and will be financing both going forward. They have had four drivers on their books and are now adding a talented designer to their books.

There is no doubt in my mind that Newey is worth every penny that Red Bull are spending on him. He transformed the cars of both Williams and McLaren and it will be very interesting to see how McLaren perform without his guding influence. More to the point will this give Red Bull the leg-up to leap frog Williams in the standings. Certainly not next year as Newey will have arrived too late to make a difference but in 2007 things could get interesting. Also, will Newey have any impact on SQUADRA TORO ROSSO (Italian for Red Bull Team) who could really do with some technical direction (and money).

All in all it leads to a more competitive Formula One and makes it even more important that Williams (the ONLY team I care about) pull their collective fingers out and do the business in 2006.

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