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Red Bull F1 Facing āDeclineā As Head of Strategy Rumored to Leave, Says Former Mechanic
TL;DR
Red Bull Racing F1 team faces potential decline as head of strategy Hannah Schmitz is rumored to leave, following recent high-profile exits including Max Verstappen's race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase to McLaren. The team has experienced significant turnover, raising concerns about its future performance.
The Red Bull Racing F1 teamās former mechanic, Kenny Handkammer, has revealed that the teamās head of strategy, Hannah Schmitz, could be the next high-profile team member to announce her exit. Notably, Max Verstappenās race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, recently announced his exit as he is slated to join rival team McLaren Racing in 2028.
Red Bull has been struck with key team member exits in the last two years, such as Rob Marshall, who joined McLaren, Adrian Newey, who joined Aston Martin, and Jonathan Wheatley, who joined the Audi F1 team.
Not to forget former team principal Christian Hornerās ousting, whose contribution to the teamās success has been immense, and the retirement of senior advisor Helmut Marko after the 2025 season, who helped Red Bull push young talent like Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel in the premier class of motorsport, and win championships.
Lambiaseās exit, which MotorBiscuit reported, shook the world of F1, given his close working relationship with Verstappen. The 28-year-old driver has voiced his unhappiness with the new 2026 F1 regulations, as well as the pace of his Red Bull RB22, which is not yet fast enough to compete for race wins. Will Verstappen follow Lambiase out the door at Red Bull?
Read More from MotorBiscuit:
- Jos Verstappen Opens Up About his Son Max Verstappenās F1 Future Amid Race Engineer Exit
- FIA Warns Against Rushing 2026 F1 Rule Changes After Oliver Bearmanās 50G Crash
- Miami Grand Prix IMAX Ticket Pricing Revealed for Formula 1 Fans in 2026
Now, though, Schmitz could be the next key team member to leave Red Bull, according to Handkammer. Speaking on The Two MechanicsĀ podcast, he said:
āThe decline of Red Bull is quite sad. If I were the CEO of Red Bull Global, Iād be thinking. Look who he has lost, Christian Horner, Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley, Gianpiero Lambiase, and Will Courtenay.
āIt looks like Hannah Schmitz, Head of Strategy, is rumoured to go too. All these massive key people and talks are thereās going to be more. Thatās a real head scratcher. How do you reconfigure the team?ā
Is Red Bull Racing Facing an Internal Crisis?
Is Red Bull Racing a sinking ship at the moment, especially given Verstappenās recent admission that he would quit F1 if nothing is done to change the current regulations?
MotorBiscuitĀ reported Verstappenās comments after the Japanese Grand Prix, when he was asked if he was going to quit F1. He said:
āThatās what Iām saying. Iām thinking about everything inside this paddock.
āPrivately Iām very happy. You also wait for 24 races. This time itās 22. But normally 24. And then you just think about is it worth it? Or do I enjoy being more at home with my family? Seeing my friends more when youāre not enjoying your sport?ā
Q&A
Who is rumored to leave Red Bull Racing F1 team next?
Hannah Schmitz, the head of strategy, is rumored to be the next high-profile member to exit the Red Bull Racing F1 team.
What recent changes have occurred in the Red Bull Racing team?
Recent changes include the departures of key members like Gianpiero Lambiase to McLaren, Rob Marshall to McLaren, Adrian Newey to Aston Martin, and Jonathan Wheatley to Audi.
How has Max Verstappen reacted to the new 2026 F1 regulations?
Max Verstappen has expressed unhappiness with the new 2026 F1 regulations and the current pace of his Red Bull RB22, which he feels is not competitive enough for race wins.
