Source: Official Team Post via X
Christian Horner Discloses Adrian Newey's 'Obscene' Salary Demand in New Memoir
Christian Horner recounts the hefty salary demands made by Adrian Newey's then-wife during negotiations to join Red Bull. Despite initial shock, Red Bull agreed to pay, securing Newey's talents.
When Christian Horner set his sights on bringing Adrian Newey to Red Bull from McLaren in 2005, he was met with a salary demand that left jaws on the floor. According to Horner's new memoir, _Drive_, Newey’s then-wife, Marigold, boldly asked for £6 million per year, a figure that Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz found both "obscene" and "disgusting" before ultimately agreeing to it.
Horner, who led Red Bull to an impressive tally of six constructors' titles and eight drivers' championships, described how Newey's recruitment was a pivotal moment for the team. Newey, already a title-winning designer with Williams and McLaren, joined Red Bull in 2006 and was instrumental in their success. He eventually departed for Aston Martin in 2024, the same year Horner was dismissed from Red Bull.
The pursuit of Newey began at the 2005 San Marino Grand Prix, where Horner noticed him eyeing Red Bull’s hospitality unit. With whispers of Newey’s discontent at McLaren, Horner saw his chance and enlisted David Coulthard, a former McLaren driver now with Red Bull, in his efforts. Coulthard advised, "You’ll have to convince his wife, Marigold. She’s the key."
Horner, acknowledging Marigold as a savvy negotiator, continued to court Newey by inviting him and his wife to a Star Wars film premiere. The negotiations reached a critical point at Red Bull’s Hangar-7 in Austria, where Mateschitz himself joined the group. Despite the tension, Horner sensed Newey was "charmed" and made his pitch to bring him on as chief technical officer.
However, Marigold's salary demand caught Horner off guard. Having been informed by Coulthard that Newey made £3 million at McLaren, Horner was stunned by the £6 million figure Marigold cited. After a heated phone call with Mateschitz, who initially balked at the sum, the Red Bull founder relented, instructing Horner to "make it happen."
The deal was sealed with a handshake, but not without a peculiar hitch: Newey insisted his cherished drawing board, used in his days at both Williams and McLaren, accompany him to Red Bull. Horner anticipated backlash from McLaren's Ron Dennis, who indeed gave him an "explosive dressing-down" over the request. Ever the diplomat, Horner offered to write a cheque to a charity of Dennis’s choosing as a gesture of goodwill.
Newey's tenure at Red Bull ended in 2024, and he transitioned to Aston Martin in 2025, taking on the role of managing technical partner and later team principal by 2026. His involvement with Aston Martin includes an approximate 4.7% stake in the team, as reported by PlanetF1.com.