Biggest star in F1 -- Lewis? Fernando? -- Think again

[Bluewolf]

The biggest superstar in F1 is not a driver at all --the biggest superstar in F1 is aerodynamcist and technical director Adrian Newey -- if you follow his career you can see tremendous team success following right along with it (or at least after he's had a bit of time in his new surroundings) -- No one thinks of Williams as a powerhouse today but when Newey was with them in the 90's they won world championships -- and then again with Mcaren he won titles in 1998 and 1999 -- as a matter of fact (to quote an article on him) "At the end of the 1990s Newey stood head and shoulders above his peers with 6 of the previous 10 constructors' titles and sixty-seven wins having been secured by cars of his design." and (to quote from the same article) From 1992 through 2004 the World Drivers' Championship was an exclusive battle between 'Schuey' and 'Newey', with Rory Byrne engineering Michael Schumacher to 7 titles whilst Adrian Newey engineered Mansell, Prost, Hill, Villeneuve and Häkkinen to 6 titles -- So now here we are in 2010 and ------ "Who did you say is leading the championship?" -- Ferrari? Mclaren? Renault? "No it's Red Bull" -- "Red who???" -- "Red Bull!" --"You know Red Bull. It's the team with Adrian Newey desinging their cars. He's the biggest superstar in F1."

[herowassenna]

I don't disagree with any of your argument, but Newey is not a star in the sense that he's on magazine covers and interviewed by TV media across the world. He may well be seen as the secret ingredient within F1 and the dedicated F1 fan base, but the only stars that matter to "joe public" is the men in the cars.

[Oldtony]

Originally Posted by herowassenna

but the only stars that matter to "joe public" is the men in the cars.

It's the celebrity cult, and it is turning a wonderfull team sport into just another "Star Quest".

[Bluewolf]

Originally Posted by herowassenna

I don't disagree with any of your argument, but Newey is not a star in the sense that he's on magazine covers and interviewed by TV media across the world. He may well be seen as the secret ingredient within F1 and the dedicated F1 fan base, but the only stars that matter to "joe public" is the men in the cars.

Yes I guess I used the wrong term technically -- but I mean it in this sense -- If you were starting an F1 team from scratch and you could pick one, but just one, person in F1 to join your team, I would pick Adrian over anyone else including any driver -- because with Adrian designing your car, you can have a Mark Webber beating the biggest names in racing, and, if he does lose, it's usually to his teamate.

[Andrew2001]

He is definately an unbelievable designer, a total master. You have to mention him in the same breath as Chapman I think.

Come back to McLaren, we need you to fix this slight problem we have at present!!

[Super Hans]

We're a knowledgable bunch on here and I daresay everyone is already well aware of Newey's abilities and standing in the sport.

[ralf fan]

He's always had Newey ideas.

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by Oldtony

It's the celebrity cult, and it is turning a wonderfull team sport into just another "Star Quest".

Not really, people have always loved the drivers more. The reasons are obvious, they are the ones putting it on the line after all.

Newey is fantastic, a star, but he has had his share of poor years too and isn't always a guarantee of success. It needs a good team as much as a Newey or Byrne.

[Bluewolf]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

We're a knowledgable bunch on here and I daresay everyone is already well aware of Newey's abilities and standing in the sport.

I totally agree -- but have there been (m)any threads actually focusing on him rather than a line or two as an afterthought to a threat regarding someone else?

[Born Racer]

I was thinking about this last night as it goes. He leads and success eventually follows.

[herowassenna]

Originally Posted by Born Racer

I was thinking about this last night as it goes. He leads and success eventually follows.

To a degree, but there's never really been any explanation as to why Mclaren went off the boil during 2001 to 2004.
The fabled MP4/18 was a disaster, as was the MP4/19, simply a re-badged 18. Only the MP4/19B improved that, and then the 20 was fast but fragile. But sustained success? Does Red Bull allow him more freedom than Mclaren did?

[Belatti]

Originally Posted by herowassenna

To a degree, but there's never really been any explanation as to why Mclaren went off the boil during 2001 to 2004.

I think that there are a bunch of this and thats: the tyre war, the relatively lack of rule changes, the strong team Ferrari-Todt-Schumacher-Brawn-Byrne formed and probably yes, less freedom at McLaren.


Still, I rate Adrian very high. At the last Hungary GP TV coverage, a commentator asked himself if it was more profitable paying to hire Newey than paying to hire a superstar driver.

[ralf fan]

Originally Posted by Born Racer

I was thinking about this last night as it goes. He leads and success eventually follows.

You think about men before bed?

[Born Racer]

I just do not know how to answer that.

"No" will do. Not like that.

[phoenix]

I (genuinely) have two friends who work for RBR - one in design and one in engineering - and they both worked previously for the 'Jaguar' team. I won't be more specific than that.

They told me that within a week or two of Newey joining the team (which was mid-season as I recall) his 'direction' was hugely influential. i.e. his suggestions of where to look and look again for improvements had immediate effect. His suggestions were to look for improvements, however small, but with one aim - an overall improvement in performance. This was a revolution to them compared with previous technical leadership they had experienced. i.e. if you can save a gram, save a gram. If within the regs you can make something + or - 5mm - see which is best and design - i.e +5 or -5 and then make the part +/- half a millimetre of the best. Imagine that approach being applied to every square centimetre (or probably square millimetre as it is Newey) of the whole car.

He is a perfectionist, I would say, but always with fresh ideas and inspiration of his own and always open to 'the new' even if the ideas aren't his own. He is also able - I guess because he is naturally inspirational to fellow engineers also inspired by searching for perfection - to get the best out of the team that design, make the parts and put the car together.

Of course I have no knowledge at all of how he worked with and inspired the designers and engineers at the other teams he worked with - but it would appear he left a legacy with the likes of Ferrari and McLaren as they are today also red hot in looking for and trying the new ideas that might work. Other designers and engineers that left teams where they had worked with Newey and are now working in other F1 teams will presumably have some essence of the 'Newey way' within them too.

I don't know the man so I can't say if I like him or not - but I am incredibly impressed by him, that's for sure....

And MOST of his cars....

[herowassenna]

Originally Posted by phoenix

but it would appear he left a legacy with the likes of Ferrari

I would love Newey at Ferrari, but I must have missed his previous career there..

[ptclaus98]

Originally Posted by Bluewolf

Yes I guess I used the wrong term technically -- but I mean it in this sense -- If you were starting an F1 team from scratch and you could pick one, but just one, person in F1 to join your team, I would pick Adrian over anyone else including any driver -- because with Adrian designing your car, you can have a Mark Webber beating the biggest names in racing, and, if he does lose, it's usually to his teamate.

Well, don't sell Mark Webber short, either. He's a damn good driver.

[Steven Humphrey]

He's a better designer than driver!!

http://grandprixinsider.files.wordpr...gt40-crash.jpg

http://www.leblogauto.com/images/for...ewey2_copy.jpg

[pannenmann]

Originally Posted by arnage arnie

He's a better designer than driver!!

http://grandprixinsider.files.wordpr...gt40-crash.jpg

http://www.leblogauto.com/images/for...ewey2_copy.jpg

He succeeded in creating a car that was so fast that even the creator himself couldn't control it

I don't know that much about that technical stuff going on, but to me a man that delivers such outstanding results within a highly competetive environment with ever-changing parameters (teams, rules, tyres, etc) on a constant base over such a long period is a genious. He's probably one of those rare wizards that are naturals acting on intuition when it comes to complex technical issues (as oposed to people who "just" learned it and then have to work and think hard about these things).

[White flag man]

Originally Posted by arnage arnie

He's a better designer than driver!!

http://grandprixinsider.files.wordpr...gt40-crash.jpg

http://www.leblogauto.com/images/for...ewey2_copy.jpg

Nice to see him driving it at this year's Silverstone Classic though.

What about Ross Brawn. Someone who led their own team, from near oblivium to double world champions, surely deserves a mention, apart from what he did at FIArrari.

[Bluewolf]

Originally Posted by ptclaus98

Well, don't sell Mark Webber short, either. He's a damn good driver.

I totally agree -- and I still feel it was Vettels fault when they crashed -- Outside of his airborne antics a few races ago -- he's been perfect. It really makes my point though even more -- Before Mark got into this Adrian Newey designed rocket on rails, he was never in the hunt for a championship -- I really do wish that all up and down the paddock the "behind the scenes" people were getting more credit for the success of teams.

[bella]

there's no "i" in team... unless you're the driver.

(btw if you're not already following @neweyfacts on twitter, do so immediately. think chuck norris facts, but better)

[herowassenna]

Originally Posted by Bluewolf

Before Mark got into this Adrian Newey designed rocket on rails, he was never in the hunt for a championship -- I really do wish that all up and down the paddock the "behind the scenes" people were getting more credit for the success of teams.

That was always my bug bear with Hakkinen. Before he got into a Newey designed car, he also never looked like championship material. Yet Mansell, Prost, Hill and Villeneuve only ever won because they drove "Newey" cars.

[White flag man]

He's driving the guest car in the Ginetta G50 races at Snetterton this weekend, if anyone is around.

[HughGJohnson]

Originally Posted by herowassenna

That was always my bug bear with Hakkinen. Before he got into a Newey designed car, he also never looked like championship material. Yet Mansell, Prost, Hill and Villeneuve only ever won because they drove "Newey" cars.

Were not Mansell and Prost before Newey's time? Also, were they not both billiant drivers outright?

As for Hakkinen, he spent his early career driving for a very much slumping post-Honda McLaren. Plus, he was the only driver Schumacher respected.