Adrian Newey is one of the greatest designers in Formula 1 history. David Coulthard has some insights into why Newey stands out from other engineers.
Coulthard and Newey first met at Williams when Coulthard was a test driver. They later worked together at McLaren and Red Bull Racing. The former driver believes Newey excels because he thinks like a racing driver, even getting behind the wheel himself sometimes.
“Adrian doesn’t set lap times that would scare Max Verstappen, but he did race in the Historic Grand Prix in Monaco earlier this year. This helps him understand what drivers mean when they talk about understeer or oversteer,” Coulthard shared with Motorsport.com. “He’s been a race engineer, so he really gets the whole picture.”
Newey (almost) unmatchable:
Coulthard points out that most car designers today have an engineering background but no racing experience. Newey’s racing experience gives him an edge over others who might have better academic credentials. “Adrian may not have an impressive academic resume, but that’s where theory meets practice. Real-world knowledge is key to achieving great performance,” Coulthard said.
Fans might think it’s cool how Newey combines both worlds of racing and engineering so well.
In today’s world, having hands-on experience can sometimes be more valuable than just book smarts. What do you think?
