Sources say that Red Bull’s technical director had already signed a contract with the Scuderia team before his retirement.
Italian sources have told MailSport that a deal has already been signed with the Scuderia to team up with Lewis Hamilton.
Another sports senior said that if the ink wasn’t dry yet, it would be soon.
Speculation has been rife about Newey’s future since the 65-year-old super designer announced earlier this month that he was leaving Red Bull after 19 years.
Since then he has remained tight-lipped about what will happen next, but on Thursday he said: “I’m a little tired, but I’ll probably go again sometime” somewhere else.
I’m going somewhere.
’ And it would take another four or five years.
He said his father retired at his age of 65 and he “lost a little bit of direction and just lost his mojo.
” Newey, who enjoyed technical success with Williams, McLaren and Red Bull, is being courted by most teams in the paddock.
He is expected to be able to return to work after severing ties with his employer early next year.
He currently earns an estimated £15 million, with good potential for a significant pay rise.
Although his contract with Ferrari is completed or almost completed, McLaren has not given up his hopes that he could be tempted by Ferrari again.
He also heard from Williams.
Newey has previously said he regrets not working with Hamilton.
So working with his seven-time world champion on the most famous team in motorsport would be the perfect end to the most successful design career in the history of the sport.
Newey left Red Bull for several reasons.
He felt that Max Verstappen’s winning car was not being given enough credit as he believed team principal Christian Horner was hogging the spotlight.
The scandal surrounding Mr Horner, who was later acquitted of misconduct charges against employees, added to the frustration.
Hamilton recently said Newey was at the top of his list.
Newey added: “I never thought it would become big news, so it was a shock to see it in the newspapers and on TV.
“
