Newey was originally tipped to sign for Ferrari where he would join seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, but these reports eventually diminished.
Eventually, Aston Martin secured Newey’s signature, with the technical guru expected to join the team in March 2025 as their Managing Technical Partner.
Flavio Briatore discusses Adrian Newey signing
During the bid to acquire Newey’s signature, it appeared that every team became a contender, with Mercedes even tipped to acquire his expertise.
However, It appears that not every team were battling it out to land the design legend.
In a recent interview with Auto Motor und Sport, Alpine Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore delivered a bombshell regarding the team’s pursuit, explaining that he never spoke to Newey seriously about joining.
Instead, Briatore hinted that they could try again in the future, suggesting that the team could be ready for him in two or three years.
“You have to ask him. Adrian is an artist. We are not ready for someone like him,” Briatore explained.
“To benefit from him, you have to have the right team around him.
"Maybe we will be ready in two or three years. That's why I never spoke to him seriously.”