Horner reveals Newey's £6million Red Bull salary demand

Christian Horner has claimed in his new memoir, Drive, that Red Bull was stunned when Adrian Newey's then-wife, Marigold, demanded £6million per year to join the team from McLaren in 2005. Horner says Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz described the demands as "obscene" and "disgusting" before eventually agreeing to pay.

Horner writes that he had previously believed Newey was earning around £3million annually at McLaren. He recounts courting Newey through the 2005 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, a restaurant meeting in Chelsea and an invitation to a Star Wars premiere, with David Coulthard reportedly identifying Marigold as the key to the negotiations.

Newey went on to play a central role in Red Bull's success under Horner, who led the team to six constructors' titles and eight drivers' championships between 2005 and 2025. Newey left for Aston Martin in 2024, and Horner was sacked by Red Bull a year later.