McLaren-Mercedes technical director, Adrian Newey, could quit
F1 next year.
According to reports by
BBC Sport Online, Newey, who has been with
McLaren since 1997, is said to be considering his future, although he won't make a decision until next spring.
"My contract with McLaren runs to 31 July next year so I will be technical director until then and after that we'll have to see," he told the
BBC.
"I haven't made any decisions to be perfectly honest.
"At the moment, I'm mainly focused on next year's car and working through that - then some point next spring I'll think about life after that."
Newey's latest car, the MP4-19B has impressed since its debut at the French Grand Prix, and
Kimi Raikkonen showed well in it at the weekend at the British Grand Prix.
However the performance of the non B-spec MP4-19, was less than impressive earlier this year, and it may be that Newey decides he wants a break, away from the high pressure world of
Formula One, which is currently dominated by
Ferrari and
Michael Schumacher.
Newey car's notched up 12 drivers' and constructors' championship between 1991 and 1999, however his form of late has been less solid.
Last year, McLaren used a development of their 2002 car, the MP4-17D, the MP4-18, never making its race debut, as it was far to fragile and unreliable. This season, prior to the turn-around at
Silverstone, has also been less than successful to say the least.
Has the pressure got to him?
The performance of the MP4-19B over the next few months, and the MP4-20 in 2005 could prove crucial, when Newey makes his decision next spring.
