Why Red Bull is changing the way they race

In Formula 1 it is a well-known fact that if you stand still with your car, you go backwards, because others will simply overtake you.

But the same goes for team structures. As the demands of Grand Prix racing have changed in recent years and teams face a constant revolving door of personnel, it would be a mistake to remain stuck in your habits regarding how things are run just because that’s what worked best in the past.

So, amid what has proven to be a rollercoaster year for Red Bull – with challenges on and off the track, including the departures of key figures Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley – the company has opted for a little shake-up.

With competition in the pit lane intensifying and operational acuity crucial to maximising performance across a race weekend, Red Bull has committed to doing things a little differently for 2025 when it comes to attacking every Grand Prix.

This opportunity only really arose for the team following the departure of long-serving sporting director Wheatley, who takes over as Sauber’s new team principal.

As team boss Christian Horner told Autosport in an exclusive interview: “Jonathan taking on a new challenge at Audi has given us a great opportunity to restructure the way we race.”

Jonathan Wheatley, Red Bull Racing Team Manager

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

The most significant changes involve the splitting of roles that Wheatley previously held.

GianPiero Lambiase (GP), the race engineer who has worked with Max Verstappen for many years, will take on a new role as Head of Racing.

Former senior strategy engineer Stephen Knowles will take up the newly created role of Head of Sporting Regulations, with specific responsibility for acting as a liaison with the FIA.

Senior engineer of car engineering, Richard Wolverson, will take up the new role as Head of Racing Operations, supported by stalwart Tony Burrows, while Red Bull’s head of freight operations Gerrard O’Reilly will take full control of team logistics.

Many of the names may not be well-known to fans, but internally they are all seen as key figures in taking the team forward. As Horner said of the reshuffle: “It’s a step up for everyone. It’s a really strong front-line move.”

Strong points of Lambiase

Red Bull’s trackside structure has remained virtually unchanged since its inception in 2005, with Wheatley covering all areas for many years.

But Formula 1 is a fast-changing field and the tightness of the grid, combined with increasingly stringent regulations and cost caps, has led to new demands – and forced many teams to re-evaluate how trackside work can best be carried out.

This is one of the main catalysts for Red Bull to share responsibilities, because it is no longer a question of finding one person who is a jack of all trades but a master of none. It now needs masters in all disciplines.

Horner added: “I think the way the race team used to be was almost a bit isolated. They were seen as almost an individual group that they would give parts to, go race and then come back.

“But I think the way F1 is evolving is becoming much more integrated into the bigger picture and processes of F1.”

Horner believes there was no one better than Lambiase when it came to finding the perfect candidate for the Head of Racing role.

“He’s a racer,” Horner said. “I rate him highly. He’s pragmatic. He’s a straight shooter and he’s been an important part of our team since he originally joined us as a race engineer (originally for Daniil Kvyat) in 2015. He’s done a fantastic job. He’s the right person for that role and he’ll continue to be an engineer on Max’s car for the foreseeable future, and certainly for ’25.”

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner speaks with race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Asked if there was a danger that the new role could lead to Lambiase becoming distracted from his efforts for Verstappen, he said: “I don’t think so, because you have a silo of people who all have responsibilities to do their job.

“The only task where Jonathan had no interference from others was the interaction in the Sporting Advisory Committee (SAC) with the FIA, where he would simply go through the agenda with me before a meeting.

“I think by creating a specific role that only deals with that (FIA) element, the right cover is provided.

“And I have every confidence that in GP, ​​Rich and Steve, supported by Gerard, Phil Turner and Tony Burrows, we have a fantastic group of people. The responsibility is shared between that group, particularly in doing the jobs that they do, but all stepping up.”

The risks of being static

The new circuit-side approach for 2025 follows a tumultuous season to date, with the final chapters still to be written.

And while Red Bull team boss Christian Horner doesn’t pretend that a year in which the team loses top talents such as Newey and Wheatley is ideal, he is not one to waste time dwelling on past decisions.

With two current world championships on the horizon, the prospect of an extremely tough season in 2025 and preparations to become a dedicated engine manufacturer in 2026, the focus must be firmly on the future.

“How a team and a company works: if you’re static, you tend to go backwards,” he said. “We’ve always had incredible continuity and loyalty in the team.

“Of course, externally it will look like, ‘Oh my gosh, people are leaving the team.’ But people come and go.

“We had a great time with Adrian. He was a big part of our team. But you always have to look forward. You always have to keep evolving.

Christian Horner, Adrian Newey, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images

“And when I compare the team now to where we started 20 years ago, just in terms of processes, the way we work and our efficiency, especially in an era where cost limits are key, it’s a world of difference to where we were 10 years ago.

“We have developed some great talent internally and we continue to do that. So within the team there is actually a lot of optimism for the future.

“We are taking on a huge challenge by producing our own engine. People underestimate setting up a start-up company from scratch and bringing in around 550 people to design and produce an engine. It is not a small undertaking, but it is hugely exciting.

“So there’s a real buzz on campus about what the future holds, and inevitably there’s always going to be an element of evolution.”

The current struggle

While Horner is working on the foundations to help Red Bull in the long term, the team still has a lot of work to do this season as it pushes for a title challenge with McLaren and Ferrari.

And while the danger of finding the answers that can make the RB20 a definitive winner again is not yet out of the question, Horner does see some signs of progress – especially based on the pace Sergio Perez showed in Baku.

“Some of the lessons we learned from Monza we addressed in Azerbaijan and some of the features we struggled with we managed to improve,” he said.

“I think, especially with Checo, his performance and tyre wear were very strong in the (Baku) race. He was the first of the top three to pit and his tyres were better than Charles’ (Leclerc) at the end of the race.

“It was a shame he couldn’t at least get a podium. He was at least third, probably second and could have won if he hadn’t been held up by Lando (Norris), obviously on his out-lap. He also lost some time to Alex Albon.

“But I think we have a direction now, and it’s now a matter of getting the performance out of it and getting that performance into the car.

“I think we made a step forward in Azerbaijan. It will be interesting to see how that plays out this weekend in Singapore.”

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool