Red Bull Strategy Chief Will Courtenay Starts New Role at McLaren
Former Red Bull strategy chief Will Courtenay has started his new role at McLaren earlier than planned, leaving a significant void in the team's race strategy department.
Will Courtenay, Red Bull Racing's former Head of Race Strategy, has officially started his new role as Sporting Director at McLaren, joining the Woking-based outfit earlier than initially planned. His unexpected departure leaves a significant gap in Red Bull's strategic leadership just as the 2025 season gets underway, strengthening a direct rival.
Why it matters:
Losing a key strategist like Courtenay to a championship contender is a major blow for Red Bull. He possesses intimate knowledge of the team's strategic playbook, operational procedures, and potential weaknesses, providing McLaren with valuable intel. For McLaren, securing a top-tier mind from their main rival is a significant coup, bolstering their own race operations as they aim to build on their 2024 constructors' championship success.
The details:
- Early Departure: Courtenay was initially set to remain with Red Bull until midway through the 2026 season but has accelerated his move to McLaren, taking on the newly created Sporting Director role.
- Red Bull's Strategy Team: His exit leaves Hannah Schmitz as the sole principal race strategist for the team. She will now lead Red Bull's strategic decisions from the pit wall, a responsibility she previously shared with Courtenay.
- A Pattern of Movement: This is not an isolated incident. In 2024, Red Bull also lost Chief Designer Rob Marshall to McLaren, indicating a clear trend of top technical and strategic personnel moving from the Austrian team to its papaya-colored rival.
What's next:
All eyes will be on how Red Bull adapts its strategic decision-making process with Schmitz solely in charge during the high-pressure environment of a race weekend. Meanwhile, Courtenay's immediate integration into McLaren's team structure could provide them with a strategic edge as the 2025 season intensifies. This personnel shift adds another compelling dimension to the fierce rivalry between the two teams.