Why aren’t McLaren a realistic option for Adrian Newey?

McLaren are reportedly not pushing for Adrian Newey as much as their rivals.

The availability of the man behind the creation of Red Bull’s championship-winning cars has alerted rival F1 teams.

McLaren delivered a reminder of their growing authority when Lando Norris won his first F1 grand prix in Miami last weekend.

But, a move to recruit Newey to spearhead the next phase of their project is not anticipated.

“I’m sure they’d considering him, but the mood music coming out of McLaren is not that of a team pursuing Newey hard,” the BBC reported.

The cost of Newey - coupled with the fact that he does not work full-time - means that any team moving for him must consider it carefully.

“The feeling” is that Ferrari are in “pole position” to land Newey’s services.

His negotiation with Red Bull to end his contract early and remove any ‘gardening leave’ clauses is reportedly a key indicator that he intends to start work at a new F1 team.

Newey will formally depart Red Bull in early-2025 which will give him time to look at the 2026 car for any new employer.

The new F1 regulations begin in 2026 so recruiting the sport’s most respected car designer would be a major coup, and could kickstart a period of dominance for whoever lands him.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown said: “Adrian is going to add value to any racing team.

“But we are very happy with the trajectory that we are on.

“Never say never! But I'm very happy with the team, the technical leadership, the way Andrea Stella is running the racing team.”