Extreme E, the new all-electric SUV racing series, has been drawing some pretty big names lately ahead of its first season in 2021. Now, we can add legendary Formula One designer Adrian Newey to the increasingly impressive list.
Newey is one of the most successful and innovative designers in F1's modern history. Whether he was working for McLaren, Williams, or Red Bull, Newey managed to create some absurdly visionary machines that were wholly capable of kicking ass and taking names.
Now, he’s moving to Extreme E as the lead designer for the Veloce team that will be headed by two-time Formula E champion Jean-Eric Vergne and Harrison Newey, Adrian’s son, BBC Sport reports.
There’s not a ton of information on this move yet since there isn’t much information on the series itself. His role’s title is “Lead Visionary,” which... doesn’t tell us much.
Lots of questions linger: Will Newey remain with Red Bull Racing, or will be move fully to Extreme E? Will he be taking on an entirely new role in Extreme E? Or will he still be focused on squeezing the most technical performance he can out of the regulations he’s given?
Whatever the case, this is a pretty big deal for this burgeoning series. When’s the last time you remember a racing series popping up out of nowhere that managed to attract the world’s biggest talents, be it drivers, engineers, or designers? I can’t think of anything.
It just serves as a reminder that people are getting very interested in all-electric racing.