Red Bull Racing Faces Technical Shakeup with Chief Designer Craig Skinner’s Departure

Red Bull Racing is navigating a significant technical shift as Chief Designer Craig Skinner has left the Formula 1 team, effective immediately. Skinner’s departure marks the latest in a series of key personnel changes within the Milton Keynes-based outfit as they prepare for the 2026 season and beyond.

A Two-Decade Tenure Concludes

Skinner, a veteran of Red Bull Racing, joined the team in 2006 as a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) engineer. He steadily rose through the ranks, becoming Group Leader in 2009, Deputy Head of Aerodynamics, and eventually Chief Aerodynamicist in 2018. He was appointed Chief Designer in 2022, working in close collaboration with Adrian Newey and Technical Director Pierre Wache. Formula 1 reports that Skinner’s exit was a personal decision after a 20-year stint with the team.

Impact on Red Bull’s Technical Structure

Skinner’s departure follows that of Adrian Newey, who has moved to Aston Martin, and former team boss Christian Horner, who left last July. Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley has also moved on to Audi’s F1 team, and Chief Strategist Will Courtenay is now with McLaren. Express highlights this as another change impacting Max Verstappen’s pursuit of a fifth World Championship.

Promising Start to the 2026 Season Despite Changes

Despite these departures, Red Bull, now under Team Principal Laurent Mekies, has shown promising progress. The team experienced a resurgence in the latter half of 2025 and has made a strong start to the 2026 pre-season testing. A key development is the introduction of Red Bull’s first in-house power unit, developed in partnership with Ford, which has reportedly exceeded expectations with its efficient electric energy deployment. Formula 1 notes that his role will be covered internally for the time being.

Verstappen’s Concerns and the Future

Four-time World Champion Max Verstappen has expressed reservations about the incoming 2026 regulations, describing the new cars as “anti-racing” and “not fun” to drive due to the demands of electric energy harvesting. Crash.net reports that this could impact Verstappen’s long-term future in Formula 1.

Red Bull will continue pre-season testing in Bahrain before the season opener in Australia from March 6-8.