Newey: It will be difficult to catch up with Mercedes in 2015

Adrian Newey will scale down his role in F1 at Red Bull, but he will remain involved and will be present at several Grand Prix. However, he believes it will be very difficult for Renault – the engine supplier for the Austrian team – to bridge the gap with Mercedes.

« Can Renault and Ferrari be at the level of Mercedes? I think it’s going to be a very difficult challenge – and of course, we don’t know where Honda will stand, » Newey told Sky Sports News HQ.

During the 2014 season, Mercedes managed to secure 16 victories – 11 for Hamilton and 5 for Rosberg – also achieving 11 one-two finishes, a new F1 record, for what was the return of turbo engines in Formula 1. For the 2015 season, the technical regulations will remain unchanged and the Silver Arrows are expected to continue dominating.

The Red Bull designer has decided to reduce his involvement with Red Bull Racing to invest in the world of sailing. After three decades at the forefront of F1, Adrian Newey embraces the new approach between aerodynamic design and engine power in F1 and reflects on Red Bull’s situation: « With a slightly weaker engine but a superior chassis, you can still win and vice versa. We even have a good balance between the engine and the chassis – which, for me, makes the difference. Obviously, last year, performance was dominated by the engine, and we saw Williams make a leap forward. Of course, Williams did a very good job, but I think what made the difference for them was the engine. »

Newey indicated that the RB11 will be the last car he designs, as he is seeking new challenges. The English engineer reflected on Sebastian Vettel’s departure to Ferrari: « He wants to spread his wings and discover new things. It’s a natural curiosity in life to want to see how one can perform in different environments. I can understand why he left. He’s a very bright guy, unfortunately, I’m sure he will bring things to Ferrari that we would have preferred he didn’t, but I understand. »

Adrian Newey will now invest more in the world of sailing through the America’s Cup, where he will assist the team led by Ben Ainslie, the most decorated sailor in Olympic history: « It’s a parallel industry—the basic problems are all the same. I’ve spent my entire career in the motorsport world, and it seems very arrogant to think that I could be in charge of the design. We are consultants, and I’ve just started putting together a few ideas. »

But F1 and sailing might not be enough for Newey, who does not rule out an interest in another field in the near future: « Road cars might interest me in the future. I’m always ready to design all sorts of things. »