Adrian Newey claims F1 losing the best talent to tech companies due to ‘cost cap’

The F1 budget cap has had a major impact on the way the various teams operate in F1.

Adrian Newey claims F1 losing the best talent to tech companies due to ‘cost cap’

Adrian Newey and Christian Horner (Via IMAGO)

In order for all 10 teams to have equal opportunities, and keep the cost under control, F1 introduced a budget cap starting from 2021. Red Bull’s Chief Technical Officer, Adrian Newey, believes that the cap is a dangerous ploy for the future of the sport.

When the cost cap was first introduced a lot was made of it, however, as time passed by and with inflation gripping the world, it started to create problems for the various teams. In the beginning, the teams were able to hire the best talents fresh out of universities offering them great salaries, but due to the cost cap issues, teams are no longer able to do that.

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While talking about the same, Adrian Newey had the following to say. 

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I think the hidden danger of the cost cap, which none of us probably really thought about when it first came in, is that Formula 1 used to be the best paid engineering discipline in the world. Equally with our existing staff, we are losing people to tech companies and that is a real problem because it makes it difficult for us, as an industry, and not just our team, to attract the best engineers in the world.
Adrian Newey via: Racingnews365

Newey further claimed that now the various teams have to attract engineers on the basis of passion rather than the best salaries. Currently, there are no significant plans to alter the cost cap structure, but the teams and the FIA are in communication.

Helmut Marko opens up about Aston Martin’s offer to Adrain Newey

Red Bull’s success can be largely attributed to Adrian Newey. But, rumors about his potential departure have been circulating for the past few weeks due to an incredible offer by Aston Martin. However, the senior advisor of the Milton-Keynes-based team, Helmut Marko, is not surprised.

Helmut Marko
Helmut Marko (via IMAGO)

Marko is well aware of the caliber of Newey as an F1 car designer.

He’s a highly sought-after designer, he’s the technician everyone wants to have. I don’t think this is the first offer he’s received and I don’t think it will be the last.
Helmut Marko said via Autosprint

Red Bull is going through a lot of upheavals, which has left an unfavorable impact on the team. Newey has himself recently addressed the speculations. Keeping in view everything that has happened at Red Bull since the start of the 2024 season, it will be fascinating to see how the Adrian Newey situation would develop in the upcoming months.

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