Mystery of Newey’s visit to Italy now solved

The mystery about Adrian Newey’s recent visit to Italy has been solved.

Amid swirling rumours surrounding the Red Bull power struggle, the sighting of F1’s most revered designer at Bologna airport - just an hour from Maranello - set tongues wagging.

But according to Italy’s Formula Passion, the 65-year-old was not in town to meet for talks with Ferrari.

Instead, he "treated himself to a day on the track at Mugello", the report revealed.

Mugello is owned by Ferrari, but Newey was there in Red Bull Racing team overalls for a track day with KR Motorsports - where he got behind the wheel of various performance and GT cars.

Red Bull’s chief technical officer is now expected to be in Shanghai for the Chinese GP.

"My top three for the sprint is Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz," former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde predicted on the DRS De Race Show podcast.

"I think Leclerc is quite eager to prove himself and show what he can do and the circuit may suit him well, so yes, I expect to see him in P2."