Max Verstappen isn’t planning on leaving Red Bull amid Adrian Newey’s shock exit from the team.
Not yet, at least.
The reigning world champion addressed speculation he’s reconsidering his future at the team ahead of the Miami Grand Prix Thursday.
‘Not at the moment,’ he told reporters, when asked whether recent events, including Christian Horner’s scandal, were affecting his decision-making.
‘I cannot deny that I would have preferred [Newey] to stay because of how he is as a person, his knowledge and what he would bring to potentially another team,’ Verstappen admitted.
Max Verstappen said changes at Red Bull aren’t having an impact on his future – yet
Chief technology officer Adrian Newey made the shock announcement that he’s departing
Newey’s exit comes a few weeks after Christian Horner was embroiled in a scandal of his own
However, the Dutch driver said he has faith in the rest of Red Bull’s design team, noting that the Chief Technology Officer’s role had ‘changed’ a lot since he joined in 2006.
‘A lot of good people came into the team and that has strengthened that whole department,’ he explained.
‘I trust that the technical team we have outside of Adrian is very strong,’ Verstappen went on, citing the car’s rapid performance over the past few seasons.
Meanwhile, Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton said he ‘very much’ wants to work with Newey when he joins the Italian constructor next season.
‘Adrian Newey has got such a great history and track record and he has done an amazing job throughout his career. With the knowledge he has he would be an amazing addition,’ the seven-time world champion told reporters Thursday.
‘They (Ferrari) have got a great team and they are making huge progress and their car is quicker this year, but it would be a privilege to work with him,’ he went on.
‘If I made a list of people I would like to work with then he (Newey) would absolutely be at the top of it.’
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