
1992 F1 World Champion Nigel Mansell stated that Ferrari acted “narrow-minded” by not making enough effort to bring Adrian Newey to the team.
Last month, Newey announced he would join Aston Martin as a technical executive partner in 2025. After announcing his departure from Red Bull in May, it was rumored that signing with Ferrari would be Newey’s best option. However, it seems Ferrari was reluctant to engage in a bidding war for Newey, and team principal Fred Vasseur was reportedly not ready to meet Newey’s financial and power demands.
Mansell, who spent two seasons at Ferrari from 1989 to 1990 before winning the F1 championship in 1992 with Williams and Newey, believes that Ferrari missed a significant opportunity by not securing Newey.
“I think Aston Martin is a fantastic opportunity for Newey. It’s a smart move because he won’t have to deal with Ferrari’s politics and the associated challenges.”

“I think Ferrari should have made more effort to acquire him, but I congratulate Aston Martin.”
“I believe what he can do at Aston Martin could be his greatest achievement yet, as he can transform the team very quickly. I think they will be much more competitive next year compared to this year.”
When asked if he was surprised by Ferrari’s lack of action for Newey, Mansell said: “I was surprised to hear that Ferrari probably resisted Adrian’s desired salary. I think they were narrow-minded about it.”
“They missed an opportunity because whoever gets Adrian Newey is almost guaranteed to have a great few years. Aston Martin did something very special by securing him.”
“People overlooked that Adrian hasn’t been particularly happy in his last few years with Red Bull, and being in England at Aston Martin will give him more energy.”