Red Bull chief technical officer Adrian Newey has revealed that he is building a 90-foot sailing yacht alongside his illustrious career in Formula One.
A new documentary about him sheds light on this lesser-known aspect of the mastermind's life, showcasing his passion for sailing and his pursuit of creating a vessel capable of circumnavigating the world at a leisurely 14mph.
Newey: Yacht-building is a different challenge
“We are tailoring an existing design, but it’s for a very different outcome,” Newey said.
“For what we want, which is a boat which is genuinely a blue water cruiser, we could go on cruises, then possibly around the world.
“The beauty about motor racing is that there’s only two things that count – how quick it is and whether it’s reliable or not.
"Building a live-aboard sailing yacht is much more subjective in terms of the overall pleasure versus performance and usability.”
A landmark moment
As it happens, this isn't Newey's first foray into the sailing world.
In 2015, the Red Bull engineer assisted Ben Ainslie in his quest to secure the prestigious America's Cup.
Newey says that the inaugural launch of his new yacht will mark a significant milestone in his personal life.
“Seeing the splash after she emerges from the build shed will be a big landmark,” he added. “It’s all personal, and that’s the great thing about building a boat from new.”
The documentary 'Adrian Newey, building my Oyster' is set to be released in January 2024.