F1 News:Ralf Schumacher Praises Marshall’s Influence at McLaren, Criticizes…read more

F1 News:Ralf Schumacher Praises Marshall’s Influence at McLaren, Criticizes…read more

Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes Red Bull underestimated the significance of Rob Marshall, whose contributions have been evident since joining McLaren as chief designer. In an interview with  Formel1.de , Schumacher suggested that Marshall’s departure was a major loss for Red Bull and may have even played a role in Adrian Newey’s decision to leave.

Marshall was among several key figures to exit Red Bull, alongside Newey and Jonathan Wheatley. Since then, McLaren has shown significant progress, while Red Bull’s performance has declined. Schumacher questioned whether Red Bull should have done more to retain Marshall, hinting that his absence may have influenced Newey’s decision.

“He’s doing an outstanding job at McLaren,” Schumacher commented. “It’s possible that Adrian eventually thought, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore.’”

Newey’s Exit and Red Bull’s Recent Challenges

Red Bull’s drop in form dates back to the 2023 Miami Grand Prix, where their dominance started to wane. Since then, McLaren and Ferrari have closed the gap, leaving Red Bull facing stronger competition. Not long after, Newey’s departure was confirmed, and he has since moved to Aston Martin, signaling a major shift in F1’s technical landscape.

Schumacher praised Newey’s leadership, highlighting his ability to unite and motivate his team.

“He’s highly ambitious, but also a dedicated family man who connects with his team and values spending time with them,” Schumacher said. “That makes a big difference. You need to give people space but also bring them together to maximize their potential, and Adrian excels at that.”

With McLaren thriving under Marshall and Red Bull undergoing internal restructuring, Schumacher’s remarks raise questions about whether Red Bull could have handled its recent changes more effectively to maintain its dominance.