In recent years, Red Bull Racing has represented success and dominance in Formula 1 like no other team. The Austrian racing team, in combination with exceptional driver Max Verstappen, taught the competition a lesson. No mistakes, no mercy, no weakness – especially last year, the Bulls were in a league of their own, winning 21 out of 22 races and breaking records on a continuous basis. After Verstappen’s third world title, many expected a renaissance in the late 2010s, when Mercedes was simply unbeatable in Formula 1.
14 races are to go in 2024 and Red Bull is currently more than a car length away from dominance. In the drivers’ world championship, the Dutch defending champion from their own ranks is comfortably leading with 78 points, but the constructors’ world championship is completely wide open this season. “We are not in danger in the drivers’ world championship unless everything goes wrong,” says Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko. “The constructors’ championship will be more difficult, so we have to hope that Sergio Perez’s consistency returns.” The Mexican has been lagging far too often so far, but is allowed to continue at least until the end of the year. Not the only personnel decision that caused discussion in the world champion team.
With Adrian Newey, one of the team’s absolute guarantors of success is leaving the team at the end of the year. Even though Red Bull has always been careful not to create a personality cult since the first race in 2005, the British star designer was always a pillar of the successful racing team and became even more famous through his flashes of genius on the drawing board. Unlike his fellow Briton Christian Horner, the 65-year-old never cared about the limelight. But for a long time, opposites attracted, and Newey and Horner were unbeatable as best friends for years – on and off the track. But while Horner started an unprecedented power struggle after the death of Dietrich Mateschitz, Newey withdrew more and more.
Turning point at Red Bull Racing
What seemed unthinkable years ago became reality at the beginning of May. Newey is leaving Red Bull at the end of the season and will probably design winning cars for Aston Martin in the future. It was the beginning of a turning point for the world champion team, because a few weeks later the departure of Jonathan Wheatley was also announced. The 57-year-old sports director made a name for himself at Red Bull and was considered the logical successor if Horner was fired at the start of the season. Now Audi has secured Wheatley’s services and made him team boss for the Formula 1 project. “He wanted to change and advance in his career. The offer from Audi was unique, we couldn’t keep up. It’s certainly a big loss for us,” says Marko about the high-profile departure.
The 81-year-old himself speaks of a “new era” within the team, an “evolution” so to speak. “Their tasks will now be divided between several people, so we will compensate for the departures.” Over the years, the racing team has built up a “pool of capable people” who have been prepared for just such a moment. “They are younger and have nevertheless already gained a lot of experience. We have the means to absorb all of that.” If this succeeds beyond 2025, nothing will stand in the way of a successful future in the bull stable. If the losses are more serious, more departures could follow – above all that of superstar Verstappen.
