Newey goes to Jaguar!

[garyegrant]

According to BBC Sport, Adrian Newey has signed a 5-year deal to design for Jaguar. Does this spell the end of McLaren's time at the top? Or does one man not make a team?

Perhaps Eddie will get a second chance at the title after all....

[JeremySmith]

I read this too...I don't believe that a team relies solely on one person, but Adrian Newey certainly has proven his worth at McLaren

[Damon]

And Williams. Success seems to follow this bloke where ever he goes. I hope this is true for Jags sake.

[Tristan]

OH MY GOD!! Jag WCC in 2003 MINIMUM. Guarenteed. THAT'S how important this guy is. Why did he leave McL?? Is this true?? WOW!!

[Damon]

I do hope this isn't a wind up, Jag will be up with Ferrari as soon as a Newey design comes through, he has the ability to turn any team round particularly one with the sort of financial backing Jaguar has.

[JeremySmith]

Tristan

I think money might have something to do with Adrian Newey's decision..17.5 Million Pounds

[garyegrant]

This is the story. Obviously, it has not been confirmed, but for it to be the lead sport story on the BBC, suggests that it is more than credible:-
(ps as a DC and McLaren fan, I'm gutted!)

From BBC SPort
TOP DESIGNER NEWEY LINKED WITH JAGUAR

Jaguar look poised to pull off one of the biggest coups in recent Formula One history by luring star designer Adrian Newey away from McLaren.

The 42-year-old is regarded as the best racing car designer in the world and his signature on a contract would be a huge boost for troubled Jaguar.

Likewise, it would be a massive blow to McLaren, who started their current spell as the fastest team in F1 when Newey joined in time for the 1998 season.

Newey is said by sources close to Jaguar to have signed a five-year contract with the team, to start when his McLaren deal runs out at the beginning of August 2002.

However, McLaren would be most unlikely to allow him to continue working for them until the moment he joined Jaguar.

If Newey leaves McLaren, he is likely to be put on "gardening leave" at some point in the future.

Jaguar are rumoured to be offering Newey about $5m (£3.5m) a year. His McLaren salary is about £2m a year, although the Mercedes-backed outfit would almost certainly match Jaguar's offer if Newey wanted to stay.

Jaguar have been chasing Newey for several months. They are trying to work out ways of ensuring they can rise to a competitive position in F1.

But talks are said to have accelerated in recent weeks, and Newey may have signed a contract this week.

Newey is likely to have been attracted to Jaguar at least partially by the presence of his friend Bobby Rahal as team principal.

However, if he leaves McLaren, he would be ending his working relationship with probably his best friend in F1, Mercedes engine designer Mario Illien.

Newey is enormously highly regarded within F1, having been involved in the design of what has been perceived to be the best car on the grid every year since 1991.

He was at Williams from 1990 to the end of 1996, and joined McLaren in August 1997.

He is renowned as an expert in aerodynamics, and particularly in the difficult art of making them work well without compromising other areas of the car's design.

Cars conceived under his stewardship have become a by-word for elegance, homogeneity and clarity of thought, even if F1 design cannot be ascribed solely to an individual.

If Newey leaves McLaren, it is most likely to be in the search for a new challenge - and tasks in F1 do not come tougher than trying to make Jaguar a team that contest the world championship.

The Ford-owned outfit have been in disarray for the last two years, and do not yet even have their own wind tunnel, a crucial element in honing the shape of an F1 car.

That is likely to make life difficult even for Newey. By contrast, if he can turn Jaguar into a winning force, his reputation would be made forever.
A Jaguar spokesman refused to comment specifically on Newey.

But he added: "The team are trying to put together the building blocks for future success, and that includes attracting the best people.

"We are being bombarded by media speculation - and I say speculation because nobody has said anything official yet."

A McLaren spokesperson told BBC Sport Online: "Adrian Newey has got more than a year to run on his contract with McLaren.

"We are currently negotiating with Adrian in good faith and based on what he has told us, we don't believe that he has signed for Jaguar Racing."

[touringlegend]

Why does his contract end in the middle of the year?

[enemy-ace]

He's only making £2m a year with McLaren? Newey has to be the most grossly underpaid man in F1!
I certainly hope this is true and your not just pulling my chain!

[drexel]

Hopefully for Jag, they'll have enough money left to get another world class driver. Adrian Newey may help produce a quality car but is Irvine going to provide the 11 or 12 quality drives needed to win a WDC.

[Gt_R]

Ron Dennis has a way of paying for the best with the least...a really cocked up business man...Racing doesnt make Dennis excited, business and money does i suppose...

Go Adrian go...its time you are better paid than work your hearts out just to see Ron happily walking to the bank...! =)

[neutral]

I cant believe Newey only gets 2 million a year! I've also heard that DC only gets 2.5 a year! I dont know how Ron does it, his persuasive skills must be the best in the business.

[Peter Mallett]

Wow!!

Sadly if it is true he won't be there in time to help the swerve.

BTW. After Monaco I think its time we gave Eddie a bit more respect.

[DNQ]

Good News. Jaguar needs to win. McLaren's days at the top are numbered for the time being, but they'll be back in a few years. As for Jaguar, I'm just hoping James Courtney is hired, to replace Eddie, but after the swerves prefromance at Monaco, this is unlikey to happen.

[Sparky]

F1 News are saying Newey will get $17 million (£10.6M) over the three year Jaguar deal, which will be 40% more than he currently recieves, and by my feeble reckoning, that means he's getting $3.4M (£2.1M) a year at McLaren.

Blimey... Poor bloke! How does he make ends meet?

[Valve Bounce]

I wonder if DC would follow Newey to Jaguar?

[Red]

Originally posted by touringlegend
Why does his contract end in the middle of the year?

Usually the development of the next year’s car starts well before the actual season ends. It’s not a wise decision to allow an engineer to be involved and then to move at another team. Every engineer’s (or team member) contracts expire in the middle of the year.

Even though BBC is BBC a news that states “has signed” and “close sources” in the same sentence and “rumor” later in the same story is just that. A rumor. It may be true that Jaguar are chasing Newey, but the fact that Jaguar spokesperson did not comment the story can hardly be taken more seriously than a speculation. Hmmm, if I’m not mistaking last year Newey was supposed to work for Ferrari. (and Brawn was supposed to work at Jaguar) Geesh, they’re already worried who will design the 2002 Mac?

[Tristan]

THIS IS HUGE!! The biggest thing to happen in F1 since Shumi went to Ferrari (or Newey went to McL, one or t'other!)

[Bononi]

Anyway is that true ?

Not even Jag confirmed, and McLaren is denying.

Where's the man ? Let him speak !!!!

Jag doesn't have a wind tunnel ?

[Orange]

to tell the truth, I just looked at this topic title, and assumed it was a joke (a la the earlier "Shumi injured playing soccer" thread) but if this is true.... WOW!!!!

*deep breath*

See, I knew that Ford wasn't going to sit around and watch one of its prestige marques get a bad name. I can see it now... Grandstands full of screaming Jaguar fans, with massive green banners, and a few Tifosi of in a corner

Poor Mclaren... it seems that Ron tried to take a page out of Frank Williams' "how to screw over employees" book, and got burnt!! Serves him right! As for VB's query as to DC following Newey... It would be pretty cool! To British Isles boys driving Newey designed Jaguars!! An anglophiles wet dream!

[francis]

Don't get too overexcited. The rumours do look very strong and it may well happen - but in that instance what is likely to happen (and did happen when Newey went from Williams to McLaren) is that he will leave McLaren fairly soon - they won't want him to be privy to whatever they are going to put into next year's car) and he won't be allowed to start with Jaguar unbtil his contract expires mid 2002. This is the so called "Gardening Leave"So whatever he produces for Jaguar won't be until the 2003 season.

That is unless McLaren were to agree to Jaguar buying out he contract. Frank Williams didn't allow that to happen and McLaren don't need the money. On the other hand Eddie Jordan DID need the money and let Mike Gascoygne start fro Benetton fairly quickly (not that that seemed to do Benetton much good!)

It will certainly be interesting

[EERO]

Rumours aside, it is a strong possibility as Orange said, Ford isn't intent on making up places on the Grid for long. Given Rahal's and Newey's friendship there's a good chance here.

Despite Swerve looking more like a racing driver, I doubt he'll be the one to drive a Jag in 2003. With Ralfie signing a long-term deal with Williams and Bunsen due back under Sir Frank's wing, Montoya may be a free agent. Given Rahal's obvious regard for the Columbian, the pieces all begin to fit together....

[francis]

JPM apparently has a pretty long contract with Williams - as does Button, so it's all down to Frank - not where JPM fancies going. Frank seems to be in a nice position. Good car - good engine and a surfeit of good contracted drivers to choose from (and for what it's worth I rate all three drivers - certainly all in the top 10 currently around - the others in the 10 being MS, MH, JV, Kimi and the other 3 being a toss up between DC, RB, Jarno, Heidfeld, Panis and Alonso.

Waiting for the flames!

[Ed G]

If Newey does switch over the Jaguar team of this year is going to be a memory. I think both drivers will be gone in 2003. I don't think that Niki really likes Irvine. PDLR hasn't done squat-diddly. In 2 years there will be a few more names to be picked up when Bruno and Helium come over from CART, bring up a couple guys like Webber and such and F1 is going to be a different place.

Prognositication of the day: Rubens driving a green car in 2003.

[francis]

pdlr is short term.. Eddie is better than most people give him credit for but has at msot 2-3 seasons left. I agree Webber looks a good prospect. It would be interesting to know who else Jaguar have in mind given that 2003 will be their target season.