Ex-Formula 1 team owner Eddie Jordan believes Red Bull team principal Christian Horner and chief technical officer Adrian Newey are not a “marriage made in heaven”, but that it might’ve worked in their favour.
Horner and Newey have both been at Red Bull for what seems like forever, probably because it has been!
The team boss has led the Milton Keynes-based team since they joined the pinnacle of motorsport in 2005, after taking over from Jaguar.
Newey joined the team soon after in 2006, with his designs having been responsible for all of Red Bull’s victories.
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The recent Canadian Grand Prix marked a significant moment in the history of Red Bull, as Max Verstappen’s win was the Austrians 100th in F1.
Horner and Newey have been key in all of them, whilst the victory was actually the 200th by a car designed by the CTO.
The duo’s long-term partnership has clearly worked wonders for Red Bull, who are on track to claim their sixth Constructors’ Championship.
With Newey having recently signed a new long-term contract to keep him at Red Bull, the likelihood is that further feats will be achieved by the championship leaders.
Jordan believes Newey has discovered his “natural home” since joining Red Bull, with his “loyalty” having been key to Red Bull’s success.
“Longevity, loyalty, focus, attention to all the minor details,” Jordan said on the Formula For Success podcast.
“I think, even though sometimes it looks somewhat a little bit turbulent from the outside, Adrian Newey has found his natural home.
“Yes, he was good at Williams but he never really liked it. Him and Ron Dennis at McLaren, while they were massively successful, I think it just suits Adrian Newey and the brain that he’s got.
“There are not many better brains in the entire universe, in my opinion, when it comes to getting speed out of something that you design.
“I think the concoction of the main team, but the two key top people have been there for a very long time.”
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It is remarkable to think that Horner and Newey have been with Red Bull for so long, whilst most other teams have carried out several changes of leadership.
Being loyal to Horner and Newey has worked perfectly for Red Bull, despite Jordan believing the duo may have had a few arguments in the past.
“It’s not necessarily a marriage made in heaven,” Jordan said. “Sometimes that helps! Adrian can be a fiery guy, and Christian equally so, but it works.”