Exclusive: Key Red Bull figure set to leave F1 team

Key Red Bull Figure Set to Leave F1 Team

Red Bull Racing is preparing for the departure of chief engineer Paul Monaghan, who is expected to join F1 newcomer Cadillac in a senior leadership role within the engineering department. The news, confirmed by multiple sources in the Red Bull Ring paddock, follows reports that first emerged via a German podcast earlier this week.

While Monaghan has chosen Cadillac as his next destination, he reportedly also received an offer from Aston Martin for a key leadership role in their engineering department.

The timing of the move remains uncertain. Monaghan continues to serve as the chief engineer for the Milton Keynes-based team, and the formal exit process has not yet begun. Due to standard non-compete and confidentiality clauses, the 58-year-old is expected to serve a period of gardening leave. This means that even if he departs after the 2026 season, he is unlikely to begin work at Cadillac before the summer or autumn of 2027.

Monaghan's exit comes during a period of significant transition for the Austrian outfit. He is regarded as one of the last remaining senior figures from the Christian Horner era. Since joining Red Bull in 2005, Monaghan contributed to every championship-winning campaign the team has had, supporting Sebastian Vettel's four consecutive world titles and the current era led by Max Verstappen.

His career in Formula 1 began at McLaren in 1990, where he worked in research and development before serving as data engineer for David Coulthard. In 2000, he moved to the Enstone-based team during the transition from Benetton to Renault. As a race engineer for Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso, Monaghan played a key role in Alonso's first F1 victory at the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix. Following a brief tenure at Jordan, he joined Red Bull.

Both Cadillac and Red Bull Racing declined to comment on the matter.

Broader Leadership Exodus

The potential loss of Monaghan is part of a larger trend of high-profile departures at Red Bull. Team Principal Christian Horner was sacked in the middle of 2025, and Adrian Newey has since joined Aston Martin as a leading engineer. Jonathan Wheatley is also among the key figures to have left the team.

Further instability is marked by the confirmed departure of Motorsport Advisor Helmut Marko. Red Bull confirmed that Marko will leave his role at the end of the year, six months after Horner's exit. Over more than 20 years, Marko oversaw six Teams' titles and eight Drivers' titles, and guided 20 drivers into Formula 1, including Verstappen and Vettel.

"Narrowly missing out on the World Championship this season has moved me deeply and made it clear to me that now is the right moment for me personally to end this very long, intense, and successful chapter."

Helmut Marko, Motorsport Advisor, via Formula1.com

Red Bull CEO of Corporate Projects and Investments Oliver Mintzlaff stated that Marko approached him with the wish to end his role. Team Principal Laurent Mekies described the move as the end of a remarkably successful chapter.

Additionally, race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase is set to depart for McLaren in 2028 as head of race engineering. Lambiase had previously turned down a leading role at Aston Martin. His departure is particularly sensitive given that Max Verstappen previously told Ziggo Sport he would not stay with Red Bull if Lambiase left.

Current Team Standing

These leadership changes coincide with a difficult competitive stretch. Red Bull currently sits sixth out of 11 constructors in the team standings with 16 points. Through the first three races, the team has struggled to compete at the front of the grid, with Verstappen's best result being a sixth-place finish at Albert Park.

The team is currently navigating the Austrian Grand Prix weekend while focusing on leadership resilience and resource allocation. With the 2026 season approaching, Red Bull faces a reshaped engineering structure and a driver pairing consisting of Verstappen and his new teammate, Isack Hadjar.