A new chapter has opened for Red Bull as rival teams vie to sign Adrian Newey, who is departing.
Even Mario Andretti, who represents the GM-backed team that's yet to secure Formula 1 entry, is eager to snatch up the highly sought-after technical genius.
"That's a simple question - 100 percent yes," the 1978 world champion laughed to NBC News.
If Newey, 65, decides to join another team instead of gradually stepping away from F1, it's likely he'll join Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari.
"Negotiations for the brilliant engineer are at an advanced stage," reports the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton, still with Mercedes but set to join Ferrari in 2025, openly expresses his desire for Newey to move to Maranello.
In Miami, he refuted the idea that Newey's involvement was a condition of his own deal with Ferrari.
"I mean, this is all private conversation stuff," said Hamilton. "I can't tell you. I can't tell you what was in the discussions."
"But if I was to do a list of people that I'd love to work with, he would absolutely be at the top."
Hamilton's 2025 teammate, incumbent Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, stated on Thursday, "I think we're in a good place to attract the best people in the world."
"Adrian is one of those guys that can make a difference."
Newey has also been linked with Aston Martin, but Fernando Alonso emphasised in Miami that the Silverstone-based team isn't necessarily in need of the famous Briton.
"We already have very good engineers," said the Spaniard. "And with a new addition of his calibre, the question always arises as to how he would fit in with the rest of the team."
For now, at least, Red Bull is maintaining a brave face despite losing Newey. "I think it's normal to have this sort of movement of people," Sergio Perez said, "but I think the organisation remains really strong and I don't see any more changes coming."
Indeed, technical director Pierre Wache is staying at Red Bull, although a bigger question mark hangs over whether Max Verstappen might start considering an exit.
"No, not at the moment," the triple world champion said when asked if Newey's departure makes him reconsider his commitment to Red Bull.
"At the end of the day, we have a really strong group of people that maybe aren't talked enough about in the press," Verstappen added. "It's really important to have the quickest car and of course a good environment."
"That's what we have currently, even if I would have preferred him to stay. But I think if you knew what was already happening inside the team and how it works, it's not as dramatic as it seems."
However, former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes Verstappen is just putting on a brave face for now. "I think he's already looking for a new place," the German told DPA news agency.
"The only question is when this transition will take place - 2025 or 2026," Schumacher added. "But anyway, I'm convinced that he wants to leave."
Schumacher also predicted that the situation might deteriorate further for Red Bull.
"Other engineers will follow him because they want to keep working with Adrian Newey," he predicted. "The atmosphere in the team is far from ideal, to put it mildly. This is not what Dietrich Mateschitz wanted."
"What is happening now is shameful and sad," Schumacher said. "I believe it is the beginning of a new era for Red Bull and that he is not the last to go."
"If that does happen, the team could slip into mediocrity with the new rules for 2026 at the latest."
