Adrian Newey book

[Sonador]

Some things in life are more importent than money, glad that Newey has al his prioritys straight!
Very admireable, and you can see why he is so succesfull.

[NathanOlder]

Unbelievable to turn down an offer like the one from Ferrari!

Just shows you that not everyone must join Ferrari at some point, unlike what people will have you believe. Its not all about Ferrari, I think that appeal was lost a good 25 years ago.

[Ennis]

My thoughts exactly. I can't believe a person can get to a point in life to be able to turn that down. I see Ferrari as a much longer lived life legacy than what Red Bull could offer--all due respect to Red Bull.

Maybe Ferrari's short-termism held him back in that regard? They have a habit of firing when it doesn't go their way.

Newey would have had to uproot to Italy, most likely, and been in an environment which he didn't felt offered security?

It's the only rationale I can imagine anyway, as even removing the financial aspect, the chance to have total control over a huge car brand and return the biggest team back to being serial winners for the first time in a decade?

[Nonserviam85]

Extract from "How To Build A Car":

"The spring of 2014 was a depressing time, with no apparent light at the end of the tunnel. I was considering my options, when who should approach me but Niki Lauda from Mercedes. There began a series of talks about me joining Mercedes, Niki paying me a couple of visits at home in order to discuss it. I was tempted but not that much. To move to Mercedes, the team that was clearly going to win the championship that year, 2014, effectively replacing Ross Brawn, just didn't feel right, and I would have felt like a trophy hunter. So I thanked Niki but turned that one down.

"I was also approached by one of the LMP1 sports car teams. That was very interesting in principle; to be involved in a team with the aim of winning Le Mans remains on my bucket list. But the team is based in Germany and that bit didn't appeal. Then came a third approach, and it was from Ferrari. I'd been courted by them before, but this time they meant business. I traveled to visit Luca Montezemolo, the President of Ferrari at the time, seeing him at his farmhouse close to Tuscany. We held serious talks and their offer was amazing. Luca wanted to give me the whole Ferrari operation, road and race car. The promise was of an almost film-star lifestyle and the most ridiculously large financial offer, well over double the already generous salary I was receiving at Red Bull.

"I was also approached by one of the LMP1 sports car teams. That was very interesting in principle; to be involved in a team with the aim of winning Le Mans remains on my bucket list. But the team is based in Germany and that bit didn't appeal. Then came a third approach, and it was from Ferrari. I'd been courted by them before, but this time they meant business. I traveled to visit Luca Montezemolo, the President of Ferrari at the time, seeing him at his farmhouse close to Tuscany. We held serious talks and their offer was amazing. Luca wanted to give me the whole Ferrari operation, road and race car. The promise was of an almost film-star lifestyle and the most ridiculously large financial offer, well over double the already generous salary I was receiving at Red Bull.

"I had a very difficult decision to make, and it was one that cost me many nights' sleep as I went over and over the various factors; family, cultural, work differences, the chances of success or failure, the repercussions of either...

"But in the end I thanked Luca and turned him down."

Lifted from this article:
http://www.gptoday.com/full_story/view/ ... d_Ferrari/

More curious to know which LMP1 team approached him. My bet is Toyota knowing how desperate they are to win LeMans.

[Ennis]

Extract from "How To Build A Car":

"The spring of 2014 was a depressing time, with no apparent light at the end of the tunnel. I was considering my options, when who should approach me but Niki Lauda from Mercedes. There began a series of talks about me joining Mercedes, Niki paying me a couple of visits at home in order to discuss it. I was tempted but not that much. To move to Mercedes, the team that was clearly going to win the championship that year, 2014, effectively replacing Ross Brawn, just didn't feel right, and I would have felt like a trophy hunter. So I thanked Niki but turned that one down.

"I was also approached by one of the LMP1 sports car teams. That was very interesting in principle; to be involved in a team with the aim of winning Le Mans remains on my bucket list. But the team is based in Germany and that bit didn't appeal. Then came a third approach, and it was from Ferrari. I'd been courted by them before, but this time they meant business. I traveled to visit Luca Montezemolo, the President of Ferrari at the time, seeing him at his farmhouse close to Tuscany. We held serious talks and their offer was amazing. Luca wanted to give me the whole Ferrari operation, road and race car. The promise was of an almost film-star lifestyle and the most ridiculously large financial offer, well over double the already generous salary I was receiving at Red Bull.

"I was also approached by one of the LMP1 sports car teams. That was very interesting in principle; to be involved in a team with the aim of winning Le Mans remains on my bucket list. But the team is based in Germany and that bit didn't appeal. Then came a third approach, and it was from Ferrari. I'd been courted by them before, but this time they meant business. I traveled to visit Luca Montezemolo, the President of Ferrari at the time, seeing him at his farmhouse close to Tuscany. We held serious talks and their offer was amazing. Luca wanted to give me the whole Ferrari operation, road and race car. The promise was of an almost film-star lifestyle and the most ridiculously large financial offer, well over double the already generous salary I was receiving at Red Bull.

"I had a very difficult decision to make, and it was one that cost me many nights' sleep as I went over and over the various factors; family, cultural, work differences, the chances of success or failure, the repercussions of either...

"But in the end I thanked Luca and turned him down."

Lifted from this article:
http://www.gptoday.com/full_story/view/ ... d_Ferrari/

More curious to know which LMP1 team approached him. My bet is Toyota knowing how desperate they are to win LeMans.

I'm about to show my ignorance here. He mentions needing to relocate to Germany, are the Toyota's WEC team based in Germany?

[Nonserviam85]

I'm about to show my ignorance here. He mentions needing to relocate to Germany, are the Toyota's WEC team based in Germany?

Toyota Motorsport HQ is based in Cologne, Germany. So it's either Toyota or Porsche.

[F1NAC]

I think that LMP1 team was Porsche one. They were just entering in sport at that time

Also he was their guest at first race in 2014

[Just_a_fan]

My thoughts exactly. I can't believe a person can get to a point in life to be able to turn that down. I see Ferrari as a much longer lived life legacy than what Red Bull could offer--all due respect to Red Bull.

A friend of mine turned down an offer to work at Ferrari when Brawn was there. It happens.

As for the "long lived life legacy" - what is that? Do you mean Ferrari will be around longer than RedBull? The titles that Newey has won over the years are his legacy. No one can take those away. Heck, taking the fight to Ferrari and beating them soundly 4 years in a row with a drinks company is quite some legacy. Add his titles with McLaren and Williams and he is F1's most successful designer ever. What bigger legacy is there?

The fact that he can turn down a huge offer from Ferrari shows his standing in the sport, and his own position in life.

[Zynerji]

I'd have a very difficult time turning down Double my current salary to go racing, and have an entire ERA of the sexiest sports cars on the planet come from my design office.

Turning down that offer was literally saying he did not want an enduring legacy on Earth. Sure, people will remember that he made some fast race cars, but you are not going to see Adrian Newey Era Ferrari's going across the Barrett Jackson block in 2117 for $200M.

THAT is a Legacy, and one that I would call him dumb to turn down. Not because it is Ferrari, but it is everything that I have ever seen, heard or read that Adrian wanted. A place to build his Magnum Opus. Instead, he's full of fizzy drinks.

[digitalrurouni]

I'd have a very difficult time turning down Double my current salary to go racing, and have an entire ERA of the sexiest sports cars on the planet come from my design office.

Turning down that offer was literally saying he did not want an enduring legacy on Earth. Sure, people will remember that he made some fast race cars, but you are not going to see Adrian Newey Era Ferrari's going across the Barrett Jackson block in 2117 for $200M.

THAT is a Legacy, and one that I would call him dumb to turn down. Not because it is Ferrari, but it is everything that I have ever seen, heard or read that Adrian wanted. A place to build his Magnum Opus. Instead, he's full of fizzy drinks.

I see your point and part of me agrees with you but he is associated with Aston Martin with the Valkyrie project isn't he? And if you ask me Aston Martins are prettier than Ferrari at least in terms of the 'modern' cars which he seems to be interested in building.

[Zynerji]

Gordon Murray will live in the McLaren F1 for ever.

I don't see the Valkyrie having that same effect. Now producing a line of 6 consecutive super cars under the Ferrari logo would have cast his mark in granite.

I feel that he will live to regret not taking the offer...

[Nonserviam85]

Gordon Murray will live in the McLaren F1 for ever.

I don't see the Valkyrie having that same effect. Now producing a line of 6 consecutive super cars under the Ferrari logo would have cast his mark in granite.

I feel that he will live to regret not taking the offer...

People make wrong decisions that they regret in hindsight all the time. Just ask Sean Connery after he rejected Gandalf's role in LOTR.

[Zynerji]

Agreed. We all make decisions every single day, and we tend to regret some of them.

As long as he is happy where he is, I would agree that leaving wouldn't make sense.

[roon]

He's in it for the racing, the creativity, the design, the engineering. He gets all that with RB, and got it for decades before throughout his career. He's satisfied, accomplished, and has money. A stodgy, less organized team with a lot more money asked him to solve their problems for them. Makes sense that he said no. Leave the efficient, successful organization that you helped shape? To go fight bureaucratic battles?

Red Bull get flack for being a racing team that has to wear a soft drink logo. But if you're in motorsport to compete, design, race, make money, and win, then your sponsor's aesthetics probably aren't so important. That said, it's a minor miracle that RB have pulled off being a soda pop team for so many years without appearing silly. Good liveries and attire can do wonders. If your sponsor's style and image are important, then by all means, pursue that. But it won't necessarily win you races. Relying upon cache and appropriating a history you had nothing to do with, in order to make yourself feel more important, is akin to resting on your laurels. I don't think AN operates like this.

An analogy may be GM asking Elon Musk to be their CEO.

[Zynerji]

I read it that he would have full control over the entire Ferrari operation, road and race, and NOT have bureaucracy to deal with, as he would build the system.

I, personally, would have taken it. Not because it was Ferrari, but to take the opportunity to be successful in such a huge responsibility role.