Red Bull Racing may have another major change soon. A former team member stated that the head of strategy, Hannah Schmitz, could be the next prominent figure to leave the team.
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This statement comes amid a series of departures of key names from Red Bull in recent years. The situation gained even more attention after the confirmation that Max Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, will leave the team to take the position of Chief Racing Officer at McLaren starting in 2028.
Since 2023, Red Bull has seen the gradual departure of several professionals who played a fundamental role in building one of the most successful teams in Formula 1 over the past two decades. This movement has raised questions about the continuity of the structure that supported the team’s recent dominance.
Furthermore, the moment is also considered delicate due to the situation involving Verstappen. The four-time world champion has shown growing frustration with the current direction of Formula 1 and the category’s regulations, making it clear that he is seriously evaluating his future.
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In this context, former Red Bull mechanic Kenny Handkammer believes the list of departures may grow. He worked as head mechanic at the team between 2006 and 2014, and commented on the current scenario during the Two Mechanics podcast: “It seems there are rumors that Hannah Schmitz might also leave, all these huge key people and there are talks that there will be more. That’s really something to think about. How do you reconfigure the team?” Handkammer questioned.
The possible departure of Schmitz, who plays an important strategic role in races, would reinforce the perception of a period of major changes within Red Bull. The team, which has recently dominated Formula 1, now faces the challenge of maintaining its competitiveness while dealing with significant internal changes.
With uncertainties involving key names and possible new developments, Red Bull enters a moment of attention in the category. If the trend is confirmed, the team may need to reorganize its structure to maintain the level of performance that placed it among the main forces in Formula 1.
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