Newey rejects Hamilton hook-up with looming F1 future confirmation

Adrian Newey has turned his back on linking up with Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari as the design guru is due to be confirmed by Aston Martin ahead of the next grand prix in Azerbaijan, RacingNews365 understands.

Newey's future has been the source of considerable speculation since Red Bull confirmed in early May he would be leaving the team in the first quarter of 2025 after an incredible 19 years.

It is understood, however, Newey will leave at the end of the current F1 season before being placed on a period of gardening leave ahead of his switch to Aston Martin.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner revealed after Sunday's Italian Grand Prix that Newey has not been "plugged in" with the team since the Friday of the Miami Grand Prix weekend.

Max Verstappen further stated the 65-year-old had now moved out of an office he had long occupied at the team's Milton Keynes base which was located adjacent to Horner.

After the shock announcement, Newey said he would embark on a period of reflection before determining his next career move.

Newey was heavily linked with Ferrari, and at one stage it appeared as if that would be his destination, so forming an alliance with seven-time F1 champion Hamilton as the Briton joins the Scuderia next season.

Williams also expressed an interest in signing Newey, although it is understood he - and manager Eddie Jordan - were courted by almost every team in the F1 paddock as they sought the services of the most decorated engineer in the sport's history.

Instead, the overtures made by Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll have finally persuaded Newey to join the team Silverstone-based outfit.

Since Stroll took over the team once known as Force India and rebranded it as Aston Martin, he and his consortium have invested heavily in new facilities and hired an array of talent to realise his ambition of claiming grand prix wins, and ultimately the F1 titles.

Newey is understood to have been impressed by the state-of-the-art factory, which includes its own windtunnel, following a recent private tour.

His appointment will be seen by Stroll as the final piece of the puzzle to turn Aston Martin into champions when the new power unit rules come into force in 2026, although it comes with a hefty price tag, rumoured to be £20 million per year.