Newey: media has unfairly demonized Verstappen and Vettel throughout their careers

Adrian Newey, the legendary Formula 1 designer, has openly expressed his belief that Max Verstappen has been a target of "demonisation" by sections of the media throughout his championship journey with Red Bull Racing.

Newey, who recently announced his transition to Aston Martin in 2025, has been an integral part of Red Bull for nearly two decades, crafting championship-winning cars for both Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. During this period, he has observed a recurring pattern in how both drivers have been perceived by the media.

"From the outside, I'm not sure people fully appreciate and understand Max, just like they didn't with Sebastian," Newey conveyed on the "High Performance" podcast. "There's this sort of demonisation both of them suffered at times, which is very unfair."

Newey attributed part of this negative portrayal to the influence of the British media. "And maybe that's also a little bit of the British media, if I'm honest. Sky [Sports] have a huge influence around the world. Although viewing isn't truly international, their coverage is quite nationalistic, dare I say, and that can have an influence."

He pointed out an overarching trend in journalism: "It's this thing that now with journalism, typically... There is that trend to sort of either put people on a pedestal or knock them down."

Max Verstappen, currently dominating with three consecutive titles and a 62-point lead in this year's championship with eight races remaining, has been relentless in showcasing his prowess. Newey highlighted Verstappen's exceptional qualities: "I think that he's very intelligent, and he's got an incredible ability to... It feels as if he can drive the car automatically."

Newey expanded on this innate talent, explaining: "He doesn't, of course, but he can drive the car and has so much processing power left over that he can then think a lot about how he's driving the car, how he's looking after the tyres, what he might need to do on the settings. Or if he doesn't, if he's not sure, ask GP [Gianpiero Lambiase, Verstappen's race engineer] on the radio what he should be doing, but highlighting the problems."

Reflecting on the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where race director Michael Masi's decision led to a dramatic late-race restart that allowed Verstappen to overtake Lewis Hamilton for the title, Newey defended Verstappen's mental fortitude.

"I think, honestly, Max is so self-assured," Newey remarked. "This is in a positive way. It's not in a negative way. There's arrogance and there is self-assured. Max is not arrogant, but he is very self-assured and self-confident, and he's a deep thinker. But he doesn't let things like that, I don't think -- they don't really get to him. He's able to shut that off and just get on with his job and get on with his task and do what he loves doing, which is driving racing cars."

In contrast, Newey suggested that the psychological impact of that controversial finish had a lingering effect on Mercedes and Hamilton. "Actually, I think it got to Mercedes. And instead of saying OK, well, accepting it and moving on, it started to affect their psyche, which is an interesting one. That's from the outside, and I might be completely wrong. They just couldn't let it go. Psychologically, they couldn't let it go."

As Red Bull continues to dominate the grid, Newey's remarks highlight the intricate dynamics between drivers, teams, and media narratives in the high-stakes world of Formula 1 racing.

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