After a lull in success from 2014, when the team was hampered by underpowered Renault engines, Newey’s Red Bull designs returned to the front of the field towards the end of the decade with Honda power. In 2021, with Max Verstappen piloted the RB16 to his first drivers’ title.

In 2022, the team exploited new ground effect regulations to create near-unbeatable machines in the RB18 and RB19, which won 88.3% of all the races they entered and won a further two double world titles. But despite all the success, Newey appeared disillusioned by off-track antics.

“I think there comes a point where, I just thought, as Forrest Gump said: ‘I’m feeling a little bit tired!’,” said Newey when asked to explain his sudden exit. [I’ve thought about it for] a little while now if I’m honest.

“Events have unfolded this year and I thought, I’m in a very lucky position where I don’t need to work to live,” he said. “I work because I enjoy it and I just felt now is a good time to step back and take a bit of a break and take stock of life and go travelling a bit.”

Three months later, Newey announced he would be joining Aston Martin as its managing technical partner from March 1, 2025 — ahead of the major regulation reset in 2026. Red Bull is yet to announce his replacement.

 

Jonathan Wheatley

Sporting director

In August 2024, three months after Newey confirmed his own departure from Red Bull, its sporting director Jonathan Wheatley followed suit, announcing that he would be leaving the team at the end of 2024 and completing a year of gardening leave, before becoming a team principal at Audi in 2026.

Since joining the Milton Keynes outfit in 2006 as a team manager alongside other key signings such as Adrian Newey, Rob Marshall, Peter Prodromou, Paul Monaghan and Mark Ellis, Wheatley grew to become a major cog in Red Bull’s title-winning machine.

A calming presence on the pitwall, he quickly gained further responsibilities and in 2014 he was promoted to the team’s sporting director — acting as the head of Red Bull’s record-breaking pitstop team.

“I am extremely proud to have been a part of the Red Bull Racing journey over the last 18 years and will leave with many fond memories,” said the 57 year old. “However, the opportunity to play an active part in Audi’s entry into Formula 1 as head of a factory team is a uniquely exciting prospect, and I am looking forward to the challenge.”

The German car manufacturer announced its intentions to join the 2026 F1 world championship in August 2022, rebranding the current Sauber squad. Audi has made several key signings in the lead up to its F1 entry, including Mattia Binotto as its chief operating and chief technical officer and Wheatley as its team principal.

With Horner having occupied the team principal role at Red Bull since its inception, it’s believed that looking elsewhere was Wheatley’s only way of progressing his career.

Red Bull later stated that his departure will “provide opportunities to elevate others within the team” due to its “tremendous strength and depth”, and have since restructured the team by splitting Wheatley’s former duties across several existing staff.

The intra-team changes are headlined by Gianpiero Lambiase — otherwise known as GP — who will become Red Bull’s new head of racing after an eight-year stint at Max Verstappen’s race engineer. Meanwhile, Steve Knowles will become head of sporting regulations, Richard Wolverson will become head of race team operations,  Gerrard O’Reilly will become head of logistics and Phil Turner will become race team factory operations manager.

But despite the reshuffle, another key piece of the Red Bull puzzle has been stolen away…

 

Will Courtenay

Head of strategy

Shortly after the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, Red Bull announced that its strategy chief Will Courtenay would be leaving the team and heading to McLaren to become its sporting director. The Briton becomes the third high-ranking staff member to leave the reigning world champions in the last sixth months.

Courtenay had spent 20 years at the Milton Keynes campus having joined when it was occupied by the struggling Jaguar outfit in 2005. When Red Bull acquired the team, Courtenay remained on as a strategy engineer and steadily rose through the ranks: first becoming a senior analyst, before being promoted to the team’s head of strategy in 2010.

“We are delighted to welcome Will to McLaren,” said the Woking outfit’s team principal Andrea Stella. “His experience, professionalism and passion for motorsport make him the ideal candidate to lead our F1 sporting function.

“We are now entering a key phase in our journey as a team, and we are confident that he will be a great addition to our strong leadership team as we strive to continue challenging for wins and championships.”

Before starting his new post, Courtenay may have to serve out the rest of his current contract, as Red Bull states that he will “continue to be part of our team seeing out his contract until mid-2026”. He may also have to complete a period of gardening leave, meaning he may not start at McLaren until 2027. But when he eventually does, he’ll at least find a familiar face…

Rob Marshall

Chief engineering officer 

In May 2023, former Red Bull chief engineering officer Rob Marshall announced he would be departing for McLaren in 2024 to become its new technical director.

Marshall had spent 17 years with the Milton Keynes outfit, in which he had played an influential role in the success of the RB6, RB7, RB8 and RB9 which won four championship doubles from 2010-2013. In the years since, he continued to be a key figure within the team and in 2016 took on a broader role, which saw him involved in other projects across the business.

“His influence will be missed,” said Red Bull team boss Horner. “But once again we thank him for all he has done and wish him the very best in his new role.”

Marshall’s influence at McLaren has been evidently substantial given the team’s rise from midfield runners to now title contenders in the space of a single season and has reportedly paired well with aerodynamic technical director Peter Prodromou.

 

Lee Stevenson

Chief mechanic to Max Verstappen

Long-time Verstappen ally Lee Stevenson, who acted as the Dutchman’s first mechanic since 2016, announced he would be leaving Red Bull with immediate effect in March. He then soon completed a move to the “other end of the pitlane”, becoming the chief mechanic at Sauber.

Much like Newey, Wheatley, Courtenay and Marshall, Stevenson has completed a near-20-year stint at Red Bull. He first joined the team in 2006 as a fourth mechanic and climbed through the ranks before becoming the first mechanic on Daniil Kvyat‘s RB11 in 2015. When Verstappen arrived in 2016, a friendship blossomed, and the pair worked closely until Stevenson was promoted again: becoming Red Bull’s support team chief mechanic in 2020, then its chief mechanic in 2023.

His influence on Red Bull’s success was profound throughout the 2022 and 2023 season, as Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez drove perhaps the most reliable F1 cars in the entire pitlane, helping the team to open up commanding margins in the drivers’ and constructors’ standings.

“Working on the first car over here, which is the RB2, then the RB16B, and then obviously the RB19. It’s been an incredible journey,” recalled Stevenson via Instagram. “I just want to say thanks for everyone here. It’s been an amazing time that I’ve had here. In 2006 when I started, I never thought we’d win races, get poles, win championships, but we’ve managed to do all of that.”

In an effort to prevent losing another key member of its staff, Red Bull renewed the contract of chief engineer Paul Monaghan on May 24, 2024.