“Illegal” Accusations Against Michael Schumacher Continue to Haunt Charles Leclerc & Co. As Red Bull’s Mastermind Spills the Secrets

The entire complexion of Formula 1 as we know it today, could’ve changed with just one readjustment of the infinite puzzle. Red Bull‘s championship mastermind has been dubbed as ‘the man who can see air’. And no one in their right mind could ever dispute that. However, the British engineer could’ve actually been snapped up at the Scuderia long before he had ever signed up for the Red Bull project.

Imagine Adrian Newey being at Ferrari! The scene is set in 1994. Newey was at Williams, living his best life. The pair of Newey, Patrick Head and Frank Williams seemed untouchable. However, with electronic aids being ruled illegal for 1994, the Williams FW16 was a tricky beast to handle. Ayrton Senna lost his life trying to tame it. And that is when Newey was presented with an opportunity to work with the next best there ever was; Michael Schumacher.

Why Adrian Newey chose Red Bull over Ferrari

Back then, Schumacher was driving for Benetton. However, given the affinity Schumacher could’ve had with the Brit, it doesn’t seem too far-fetched to assume that he’d have taken him along to Ferrari in 1996. Charles Leclerc will be surely cursing himself. But then why did Newey refuse?

Well, according to Newey, “It would have been almost irreverent to work for Michael so soon after Ayrton’s death.” He went on to explain, “While Schumacher was definitely a driver to fear from the competition, and probably the best at the time, I hadn’t forgotten Imola and the conversation I had with Ayrton, who was sure he’d noticed Schumacher’s illegal traction control.” [translated via Google Translate]

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Newey at Ferrari would have made life easier for Leclerc and Co. But while Newey objected to fructifying arguably the greatest partnership in F1 on the grounds of morality, he may have undone his principles at Red Bull.

Adrian Newey caused the Bulls breaching the cost cap

The cost cap saga that Red Bull have endured has put an asterisk to their success. That being said, after taking a brutal stance against Michael Schumacher, the 64-year-old Newey may have dug the grave for Red Bull himself.

According to Ziggo Sports, “It probably has to do with Adrian Newey. Newey is one of the top three earners in the team and the debate is over whether Newey is a Red Bull employee or a name on loan through his own company.”

“Red Bull says ‘he is employed by us’ so he’s not included in the budget cap because he’s one of the three highest-paid names. The FIA said: ‘No, he was hired through his company, so he comes from outside, so he should be included in the budget cap’.”

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Would Adrian Newey x Michael Schumacher have been the greatest collaboration in the history of Formula 1?