Over the weekend of the Miami Grand Prix, a frenzy of interest emerged as key Red Bull staff members, including long-time sporting manager Jonathan Wheatley, found themselves in the crosshairs of Red Bull’s competitors.
McLaren F1 CEO Zak Brown revealed that his outfit had witnessed a surge in CVs flooding in from the team, sparking suspicion that legendary designer Adrian Newey won’t be the last to make a move amidst the tumultuous rift between Red Bull’s Austrian and Thai factions.
“I’m not concerned about the strength in depth. Naturally, there’s always movement between teams,” Horner said. “While we’re discussing people leaving, I’d be more worried about the 220 we’ve taken from Mercedes than a handful of CVs.”
Team boss Christian Horner brushed off concerns, citing the impressive haul of over 200 personnel poached from Mercedes’ HPP engine programme for Red Bull Powertrains.
Horner suggested it was only a matter of time before Brown and his Mercedes counterpart Toto Wolff would stir up controversy through the media. “It’s inevitable. Those involved tend to talk a lot,” Horner said. “But I’m not going to get drawn into a war of words. I’d be more focused on Toto’s own issues.”
Red Bull has downplayed the exodus of staff, attributing it to the standard contract renewal cycle. Wheatley’s impending contract expiration and long-held ambitions to become a team principal have sparked interest in his potential move. Meanwhile, the team has locked in contract extensions for key senior employees, including:
- Head of aerodynamics Enrico Balbo
- Head of performance engineering Ben Waterhouse
Earlier this year, technical director Pierre Wache committed to a long-term deal.
Additional reporting by Ronald Vording
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