Red Bull have announced a technical department reshuffle that promotes Ben Waterhouse to chief performance and design engineer and brings Andrea Landi in from Racing Bulls as head of performance, effective July 1.
The changes come amid a difficult start to the 2026 season, with Red Bull sitting sixth in the constructors’ championship after three races, 119 points behind leaders Mercedes and scoring just 16 points.
Waterhouse, who joined the Red Bull organisation in 2014 via Toro Rosso and has led performance engineering since 2017, will now oversee both design and vehicle performance, reporting to technical director Pierre Wache. The team said the new role strengthens integration between those areas and will accelerate development of competitive solutions.
Landi, most recently deputy technical director at Racing Bulls and previously deputy head of vehicle performance at Ferrari, will take over Waterhouse’s former role and report to him. Red Bull stated the moves support long-term technical ambitions while developing internal talent and attracting expertise from across the sport.
The announcements follow a series of high-profile departures in recent years, including Christian Horner, Helmut Marko, Jonathan Wheatley, Rob Marshall, Will Courtenay and Craig Skinner. Most recently, Gianpiero Lambiase confirmed he will join McLaren in 2028 when his contract expires, having served as Max Verstappen’s race engineer.
Will Courtenay has already taken up a role as sporting director at McLaren, continuing the trend of Red Bull staff moving to rivals. The team acknowledged it has featured more in outgoing than incoming transfer news lately.
Red Bull’s RB22 car has struggled with fundamental setup issues under the new regulations, contributing to their difficult start to the season. The team’s best result so far is a sixth place for Verstappen in the Australian Grand Prix.
How the departures have reshaped Red Bull’s leadership
Christian Horner was removed as team principal and CEO in July 2025 after two decades at the helm, with Laurent Mekies taking over. Helmut Marko departed at the end of that year, ending a long tenure as motorsport advisor.
Jonathan Wheatley left for Audi’s F1 project in late 2024, while Will Courtenay moved to McLaren as sporting director shortly after. Rob Marshall and Craig Skinner also exited in recent years, taking key technical expertise with them.
These exits have left Red Bull relying on internal promotions and targeted hires to fill critical roles, particularly in engineering, and strategy. The current reshuffle is part of that ongoing effort to stabilize the technical department.
What the new structure means for development
By placing design and vehicle performance under Waterhouse’s overarching responsibility, Red Bull aims to reduce silos between teams that historically worked separately on aerodynamics and mechanical grip. The goal is faster iteration and more cohesive car concepts.
Landi’s background in both vehicle performance at Ferrari and technical direction at Racing Bulls gives him experience across the performance spectrum, which Red Bull hopes will bridge theory and track application. His July 1 start date allows for a handover period with Waterhouse.
The team emphasized that the changes are not reactive but part of a longer-term plan to build resilience into their technical operations, especially as they develop their own power unit with Ford.
Why did Red Bull make these changes now?
Red Bull cited the need to strengthen integration between design and vehicle performance to accelerate development, particularly after a difficult start to the 2026 season left them sixth in the constructors’ championship.
Who is replacing Gianpiero Lambiase as Verstappen’s race engineer?
The sources do not specify who will take over as Max Verstappen’s race engineer following Gianpiero Lambiase’s confirmed move to McLaren in 2028.