Red Bull Racing could have another important change soon. Pierre Waché’s position as the team’s technical director is under increasing pressure, and a departure for the Frenchman is starting to look increasingly inevitable.
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Even before the start of the 2026 Formula 1 season, there was concern that the new Red Bull Powertrains-Ford power unit would be the car’s weak point. However, the team’s main limitation is not in the engine, but rather in the RB22 chassis, which so far has not shown the potential to evolve rapidly.
The situation is worrying because Red Bull has not yet been able to present a clear path to fight with McLaren and Ferrari. The possibility of competing directly with Mercedes, which is dominating the season, is not even considered at the moment, which increases internal pressure for changes.
As technical director, Waché is primarily responsible for the chassis’ performance. The Frenchman was already facing questions after the previous season, when Max Verstappen masked the RB21’s deficiencies for a long time with his natural talent, and even with updates throughout the year, the difficult start ended up costing the driver the chance to win his fifth F1 title.
The arrival of the new technical regulations in 2026 provided Waché with his main opportunity to demonstrate his work independently. For the first time, he could not rely on a concept originally developed with Adrian Newey, and the result so far has been considered insufficient.
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While it is natural that not all teams build the fastest car on the grid, Red Bull expected at least clear signs of evolution. Waché’s permanence may depend precisely on the ability to present improvements in the next stages, something that still seems uncertain.
Aside from technical performance, the situation is also aggravated by internal disagreements. There are disagreements within the team about working methods and the direction of development, and key team members have already begun to leave their positions, increasing pressure on the technical director.
The sudden departure of Craig Skinner, the team’s chief designer, shortly before the start of the season, also drew attention. There is a possibility that the decision is related to differences with the technical leadership, although this remains speculation.
With key professionals leaving the team, Red Bull may be forced to make a difficult decision. The current leadership has already demonstrated in the past that it does not hesitate to make significant changes, as occurred with Christian Horner, the former team principal, which reinforces the idea that Waché cannot consider himself safe in his position either.
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