No “gardening leave” means “free agent” Adrian Newey can join rival F1 team in 2025

Adrian Newey will reportedly not have to serve any “gardening leave” upon his exit from Red Bull.

The car design genius’ departure from the team where he has spent the past 19 years has been confirmed.

Newey will step back from day-to-day duties immediately, but will still attend some grands prix this season with Red Bull.

He will remain focused on the RB17 hypercar project for the rest of 2024.

Newey will formally leave Red Bull in the spring of 2025 - when he can immediately join a rival F1 team, if he wants.

There will be no contractual clause prohibiting the next job for “free agent” Newey, The Athletic report.

BBC reported that Newey will have time to make a “major impact” on the 2026 car of whichever team he opts to join - effectively meaning he can start work from 2025.

It is standard procedure for Formula 1’s highest-profile individuals to have “gardening leave” or “non-compete” clauses, and it was understood that Newey’s Red Bull contract included one.

His contract with Red Bull was due to run until the end of 2025, so a 12-month gardening leave period would mean he couldn’t join another team until 2027, by which time the new F1 regulations would be one-year old.

Instead, Newey’s lawyers have successfully negotiated the removal of that clause.

So, when he officially exits Red Bull in early-2025, he can jump back into a new job.

Ferrari and Aston Martin, in particular, will be on high-alert.

Reportedly, Newey has rejected a big-money deal to join Aston Martin bankrolled by billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll.

Italian media insist that Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur travelled to London on Tuesday, the night before Red Bull officially confirmed Newey’s exit.

Vasseur was in town to talk to Newey, ramping up the likelihood that he will join the famous team who will also welcome Lewis Hamilton in 2025.