Red Bull suffers another blow as McLaren poaches another senior member

Red Bull's head of race strategy, Will Courtenay, will leave the Austrian team in mid-2026 and join rivals McLaren as a sporting director. Courtenay joined Red Bull back in 2003 when the team was called Jaguar Racing and has been an integral part of the team for over two decades.

Upon joining Red Bull (formerly Jaguar Racing) in 2003, Courtenay initially served as a strategy engineer. His contributions were recognized, and he was elevated to the position of head of race strategy in 2010. Since then, he has been a key figure in the team's strategic planning, collaborating closely with principal strategy engineer Hannah Schmidt.

Courtenay will join McLaren as their Sporting Director in 2026 and will directly report to Randeep Singh, the racing director of the McLaren F1 team. Courtenay will be replacing Peter Prodromou, who rejoined McLaren as sporting director in 2023 following the departure of James Key.

Courtenay's decision to leave the Milton-Keynes-based team is a big blow to the defending champions. With the departures of Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley, and now Will Courtenay, Red Bull has faced three significant losses within a relatively short period. Newey will join Aston Martin as their technical chief next season, while Wheatley will join Audi (currently Kick Sauber) as their team principal in 2025.

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McLaren reacts to Red Bull man Will Courtenay's arrival

Race winner Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren and McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella (Source: Getty Images)

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has welcomed the addition of Will Courtenay to the team. In a recent media interaction, Stella highlighted Courtenay's experience as a key factor in his selection, aligning with McLaren's ambitious goals.

“Will’s experience, professionalism, and passion for motorsport make him the ideal candidate to lead our sporting function," Stella said. "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.”

Courtenay has become the latest addition to McLaren's internal restructuring that started with the appointment of Andrea Stella in 2022. Following his arrival, the Papayas brought Rob Marshall, a veteran engineer from Red Bull, who joined the team in the same year.

Under the current restructuring phase, McLaren has come from the back of the grid to the front. The Woking-based team, McLaren, entered the 2023 Australian Grand Prix ranked 10th. However, their performance has significantly improved, and they concluded the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix as the top Constructors.