Ex-F1 driver regrets ‘rotten privilege’ over not wanting to work with Adrian Newey

Christian Danner recalled the time when he refused to work with Adrian Newey during the early days of his motorsports career.

Ex-F1 driver regrets ‘rotten privilege’ over not wanting to work with Adrian Newey

Adrian Newey, via IMAGO

Adrian Newey has so far had a highly impressive career for multiple teams in F1. The aero-genius has led outfits to record-breaking success in the pinnacle of motorsport. Any driver or crew member would be eager to work alongside Newey and be a small part of the latter’s legacy in the sport. However, the Ex-F1 driver Christian Danner recalled a moment when he declined to work with the Englishman.

Christian Danner had a short-lived career in F1 from 1985 to 1987, he then competed in another season in 1989. Danner had an opportunity to work alongside Adrian Newey during his early days of F2 racing. The German noted that he was the only person in the history of motor racing who declined to work alongside Newey. The 66-year-old labeled this act from him as a ‘rotten privilege.’

I’m the only person in the world of motor racing who has ever said, I don’t want to work with Adrian Newey, which is kind of a rotten privilege.

Christian Danner told FormulaScout
YouTube video

However, despite Danner and Newey getting off to a rocky start early on, neither of the individuals held any grudges. Both made up with each other and were on better terms now after multiple decades passed since the situation. The 66-year-old revealed that both were still having good laughs about that moment back then.

But both Adrian and I are still laughing about it.

Christian Danner added

Factor that proved Adrian Newey ‘won’t match’ with the German

Adrian Newey was also in the early days of his career back then with the March-BMW works team in 1981. Christian Danner worked with Newey for only one race when the latter was a race engineer for the rookie. Danner suffered a fuel issue and later found out that his fuel tank was leaking. Upon finding this, the 66-year-old asked the Englishman to not work with him due to the lack of experience of both parties.

I didn’t want to work with Newey and I told him: Adrian, you’ve got no experience, I’ve got no experience, this is not going to match.

Christian Danner noted
Red Bull's Adrian Newey
Adrian Newey (via IMAGO)

After witnessing the current success of Newey, Danner would definitely not be very proud of his past decisions. Regardless, such experiences of the Englishman helped him develop into an extremely impressive engineer in F1. As for Danner, he moved on to other racing categories and excelled in those as well.