Wache gives his take on Newey’s impending departure from Red Bull as 2026 rule changes loom

Red Bull Technical Director Pierre Wache has made clear that the design team at Milton Keynes remain “massively focused” on the job at hand, despite the recent bombshell news around Adrian Newey getting set to depart the organisation.

Just over a month has passed since the headline-making announcement that legendary designer Newey will leave Red Bull in early 2025, having so far contributed to 13 world titles across a lengthy stint of almost two decades onboard.

READ MORE: Brundle backs ‘competitive animal’ Newey to stay in F1 as he pinpoints what potential next team must have

Speaking at the recent Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Wache was asked how Red Bull’s troops have reacted to the development and whether he has confidence in the technical department boasting enough strength in depth going forward.

“I think the technical team is massively focused on the car and on the performance,” replied Wache. “For the current year and next year’s development, we have three cars to work on, [also with] 2026 that is a big change.

“As a person, people like [Newey], and he’s leaving… but we are focused on our side, to be fair.”

As Wache touched on, in addition to 2024 and 2025 challengers, attention up and down the F1 grid is now turning to the 2026 regulations, which will feature power units with increased electrical power and 100% sustainable fuels, alongside yet-to-be confirmed aerodynamic changes.

READ MORE: Verstappen responds to more questions about his F1 future as he insists change of teams ‘not on my mind’

While Newey steps back from F1 design duties to focus on final development and delivery of Red Bull’s RB17 Hypercar, Wache explained where the squad stand ahead of the rules overhaul.

“I think we are looking forward, because the more you think about it, the more you can anticipate some issues,” he said, when asked about the biggest challenge facing teams for 2026.

“We will be able to work on the aero side only in the beginning of next year, then we are preparing ourselves. The engine is a big challenge also for us, and it’s looking promising.

“For sure, we work on it, and the main challenge is how to balance the resource between all these [current and future] projects.”

READ MORE: Horner calls on Red Bull to ‘understand weaknesses’ after challenging Monaco GP weekend

Red Bull and their dedicated Powertrains division are working with American automotive giants Ford on a next-gen power unit that will be used by both the senior team and their sister RB operation from 2026 until at least 2030.