After 15 years at Red Bull, Michael Manning opens a new chapter in his career. The former engineer of Max Verstappen joins Williams, where he will notably reunite with Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon.
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Williams continues to strengthen its technical department with the arrival of Michael Manning. After nearly fifteen years at Red Bull, the British engineer has officially taken up his position within the Grove team as Chief Engineer – Trackside Engineering.
A discreet but essential figure in Red Bull’s organization, Manning was part of Max Verstappen’s close circle. His departure, initiated at the end of the 2024 season before becoming effective after the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, marks the end of a long collaboration with the world champion team.
A key role in Red Bull’s successes
Arriving at Red Bull in January 2011, Michael Manning held the position of Control Engineer, a strategic role in the operation of the cars.
He notably supervised all the starting procedures, ensuring the proper functioning of the clutch as well as the entire launch sequence of the car. A particularly sensitive area in Formula 1, where a few tenths of a second can decide a race from the moment the lights go out.
Over the years, he thus contributed to the many successes of the Austrian team, participating in campaigns that allowed Red Bull to win several constructors’ world titles alongside Max Verstappen.
A new challenge in an ambitious Williams
It was on LinkedIn that Michael Manning announced the start of this new adventure. In his message, he explains having been seduced by the ambition displayed by Williams, determined to return to the front after several difficult seasons.
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The engineer highlights the prestigious heritage of the British team, with nine constructors’ titles and seven drivers’ championships, while emphasizing the current desire to rebuild a project capable of competing with the best teams on the grid.
His goal will now be to bridge the work done at the Grove factory and its execution on track during Grand Prix weekends, a central role in the team’s performance.
Reunions with Sainz and Albon
This arrival will also have a personal dimension for Manning. At Williams, he will reunite with two drivers he already knows well: Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon.
Both men came through the Red Bull system at the start of their careers, and the engineer had already worked with them at that time. Manning has expressed enthusiasm about working again with the two drivers to support Williams in its ambitious project to return to the top.
His arrival comes as the British team continues its technical restructuring. Former performance engineer Tom Hart, also from Red Bull, had already joined Williams previously, illustrating the team’s desire to rely on experienced profiles from the best structures in the paddock.
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