Red Bull suffer another blow as chief strategist joins F1 rival

Red Bull has suffered another organisational blow as its head of race strategy, Will Courtenay, has been poached by F1 rival McLaren.

Courtenay, who will join McLaren as its sporting director, is the latest major move this year following the exits of Adrian Newey, who will be joining Aston Martin, and Jonathan Wheatley who will be heading to Sauber/Audi.

Courtenay has been with Red Bull for 20 years. In 2010, he was appointed to his current role. The move, however, will not take place until mid-2026.

McLaren states that Courtenay will report into racing director Randeep Singh, with the role designed to “help grow the team’s sporting operations as the team continues its pursuit of success” in F1.

Courtenay’s wealth of experience “will add further depth to the team’s sporting operation and help drive performance within the racing team”.

Team principal Andrea Stella said: “We are delighted to welcome Will to McLaren. 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.”

A Red Bull spokesperson has said the team is “sorry to see him leave after that long and successful time, but wish him all the best”, further confirming that Courtenay “will remain part of the team until mid-2026”.