Toto Wolff tells Adrian Newey he'd struggle at Mercedes as Brit's 'opinion' of him emerges
Mercedes' chances of signing Adrian Newey are looking bleak after the legendary engineer's Red Bull departure was confirmed.
Toto Wolff has suggested that ‘even Adrian Newey’ would struggle to sort out the mess that is hampering Mercedes in the ground-effect era. The Silver Arrows have only been tentatively linked with the Red Bull chief after reports emerged suggesting the 65-year-old does not hold the team principal in high regard.
Newey has spent the better part of the last two decades with Red Bull, contributing significantly to the dominant eras of Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, but with the behind-the-scenes drama at Milton Keynes raging on, he has opted to part ways with the team in the first quarter of 2025.
With one of the most influential technical staff in F1 history now on the market as a free agent, most team principals are pushing the boat out to bring Newey on board with Ferrari and Williams both known to be in talks with the 65-year-old. Mercedes, however, seems a much more unlikely destination.
“You should never say he is not welcome at Mercedes,” Wolff told Sky Germany ahead of the Miami Grand Prix. “He is an incredible engineer. But at the moment, even the greatest magician would probably struggle to solve the problems at our place."
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George Russell was also asked whether Newey was in contention for a move to Brackley, but his reply suggested that no talks are currently underway between the two parties ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.
“He is someone I respect, and of course, he is a legend in everything he has achieved in the sport,” Russell explained. It doesn't change our life unless there's a secret and he thinks Mercedes is... Who knows? I don't know.
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“So, as I said, I think it's great seeing a lot of loyalty for a long time. He's been in their team for 20 years. Same as Lewis being at Mercedes for 12 years, sometimes people need a change, and a change is a fresh start for both parties., and it'll be interesting to see what happens next."
However, even if Wolff did offer Newey terms to join Mercedes, it is unlikely that the Essex-born engineer would link up with the crew at Brackley. According to reports from within the paddock, he is said to have a ‘not too high’ opinion of the Silver Arrows’ chief.