It seems like the 2026 regulations won’t just overhaul the cars completely. By the time the cars hit the track, one of the prominent teams on the grid will be looking new and fresh. Red Bull Racing seems to be changing its structure as if it’s replacing the parts on an old car. It all started with Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley defecting to rival teams. Next came Christian Horner, who got hastily kicked out mid-season.

Helmut Marko, the brains behind the team that has roared through multiple championships, is also forfeiting his post. Even the off-season was not calm. By the time 2025 wished us goodbye, there were rumors about Gianpiero Lambiase leaving the team. These changes and replacements have left the fans wondering, “What’s next?!” In that case, the latest news reveals that there is another shocking exit from the team just before the 2026 testing starts.

Red Bull’s Head of Race Strategy parts ways after 15 years of support

In case you didn’t know, Will Courtenay was the former head of race strategy at Red Bull Racing. In fact, he is not a new name in the paddock. He has been a foundational pillar for the team working closely with their race strategy department since 2005–the team’s first Formula 1 season. Ahead of the 2026 season, it has been confirmed that Will Courtenay will be joining McLaren in the role of Sporting Director for the 2026 season. Courtenay revealed the same via an official LinkedIn post.

This decision, however, was agreed upon a couple of years ago. Andrea Stella, the team principal of McLaren, had confirmed his addition to the squad back in 2024.

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“Will’s experience, professionalism, and passion for motorsport make him the ideal candidate to lead our 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.”

Marko, who is still serving as team advisor, has noted that Courtenay was provided a better offer. Now, there is one question that hangs like a sword on every Red Bull Racing fan’s mind–will this affect the team in 2026?

For starters, 2026 is a blank canvas; anything can happen to any team with these revolutionary changes. But the technical regulations aside, race strategy is a different game altogether.

Red Bull Racing is known for its remarkable race strategy. As a matter of fact, it is safe to say that Red Bull Racing easily takes the crown for the same. McLaren, on the other hand, created some negative situations for themselves with their strategy. The team is already looking strong with two back-to-back Constructor titles.

As such, a robust strategy department will aid them greatly. Zak Brown has been quite clever with his acquisitions, ushering in a new era at the Woking-based outfit.

Max Verstappen’s former teammate throws shade at Red Bull management

After a celebrated season in 2021, Sergio Perez‘s induction to Red Bull Racing felt nearly perfect. The Austrian outfit had seemingly found the perfect sidearm to their main cannon. Unfortunately, their hopes and dreams were crushed once again with Checo’s subsequent fallout midway through the ground-effects era. He was unceremoniously disposed of by the team before the 2025 season.

While fans suspected that the team was leaning heavily towards Max Verstappen, there was no official confirmation of the same. However, the recent statements from Checo, ahead of his 2026 return, have fanned the flames vigorously.

“I knew what I was getting into at Red Bull. When I sat down with Christian, he told me, ‘We’re going to run two cars because we have to, but this project was created for Max; he’s our talent.’ I was very aware of that. I told him, ‘It doesn’t matter,’ I’m going to develop the car, I’m going to support the team.”

The news has reignited the debates about Red Bull Racing’s highly selective team policies. Checo went on to reveal that the team used to complain to him about everything. He was blamed for doing too many commercials. Let aside being slower than Max, according to Checo, being faster than Max was also a problem for the team. He eventually accepted things as they were and just tried to make the best of the situation.

But the Mexican Minister of Defence didn’t stop at that. He also called out the current situation in the team. “Being Max’s teammate is already very difficult, but being his teammate at Red Bull is the worst job in Formula 1, by far.”

These statements have started to ring warning bells once again. We have seen it all. The hyping up of Liam Lawson and his terrible demotion. The destruction of Yuki Tsunoda’s F1 career with Honda’s exit from the team. Now, it’s Isack Hadjar’s turn to step into their shoes. His debut in F1 was rather explosive and frankly amazing–multiple points finishes, a podium at the Dutch Grand Prix, and a P12 finish in the driver standings. But is Hadjar ready for the storm ahead of him? Mention your thoughts about the same below.