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Red Bull chief joins McLaren in seismic F1 move
Red Bull’s former strategy chief Will Courtenay has made the move to rival F1 team McLaren for the 2026 championship. Courtenay joined Red Bull in 2003 and rose to head of race strategy in 2010. His departure was announced in September 2024, with an early release deal allowing him to join McLaren.
Courtenay confirmed his new role as Sporting Director at McLaren via a LinkedIn post, expressing gratitude to Red Bull. Helmut Marko cited financial differences as the reason for Courtenay’s exit, hinting at a bidding war won by McLaren. Despite his absence, Red Bull has not announced an official replacement, though Hannah Schmitz has been suggested as a potential candidate.
Courtenay’s move to McLaren marks the end of his 22 years at Red Bull, with hopes to contribute to McLaren’s continued success in the future.
