The storm at Milton Keynes is far from over, with the battle to retain key personnel still raging. Adrian Newey’s departure has triggered a wave of rumors and speculations, hinting at a potential exodus at RBR. This potential departure could significantly impact the team’s performance and dynamics if it were to happen. Yet, amidst this turbulence, Red Bull’s Formula 1 is calm, as they feel everything is ‘alright.’ Meanwhile, the rumors suggest that their sporting director, Jonathan Wheatley, is exploring other options.
Red Bull Racing has been a dominant force, winning consecutive world titles. However, the ongoing internal power struggle, a sign of worry, could potentially affect the team’s performance. It will be interesting to see how Red Bull management contained the damage after Newey’s exit.
Ford To Maintain Partnership With Red Bull As Wheatley Eyes An Exit
After Adrian Newey exits, the potential departure of Jonathan Wheatley, their sporting director, looms large. Earlier last week, the confirmation of Newey stepping away from F1 made him available for the rival F1 teams from March 2025. If Wheatley were to follow suit, it could further destabilize the team’s management and potentially impact their performance. The McLaren CEO Zak Brown opened up about RBR’s situation, suggesting the Red Bull CVs are swirling everywhere in the paddock.
Thus, he believes the domino effect would end Red Bull’s dominance ahead of the upcoming regulation guidelines. However, striking back on Brown’s allegations, Max Verstappen marked it as an attempt to ‘stir things up.’ Moreover, the Time newspaper reported Wheatley’s future ambitions and plan of an early exit. The 56-year-old is eyeing the team principal position and is open to discussing his future with other outfits. However, the team denies all rumors, stating that he is exploring options until his contract is renewed.
Apart from Wheatley, Ferrari offered the RBR’s technical director, Pierre Wache, a contract, as per the reports. However, the Frenchman inked a fresh agreement with the energy drink-based outfit. Moreover, through contract renewal, Red Bull has secured the services of aerodynamics head Enrico Balbo and Performance Engineering Head Ben Waterhouse. At the same time, a report from Autosports suggests that their Chief Engineer, Paul Monaghan, is interested in moving to a different outfit.
The team breathed a sigh of relief when Ford’s commitment to the upcoming 2026 partnership provided assurance and stability. Notably, the Red Bull-Ford technical partnership will manufacture power units for the F1 team following the 2026 regulations.
‘It’s A Disaster,’ Says Verstappen After His Miami Streak Came To An End
McLaren’s Lando Norris derailed Max Verstappen’s Miami GP streak. However, the reigning world champion was unhappy with the car’s performance. Even during the qualifiers, Verstappen felt ‘terrible’ after securing the pole. The Sunday race was filled with twists and turns as the safety car was deployed after the Logan Sargeant crash. After the re-start, Verstappen was frustrated, saying, ‘Yeah, I can’t get the car to turn. It’s a disaster.’
Earlier, he said performance was his only reason to make a move. Thus, if the problem with RB20 persists, it could jeopardize the partnership between Red Bull and Verstappen.
