While several major figures have left Red Bull in recent years, Alan Permane refuses to see it solely as a consequence of Max Verstappen’s influence.
Read more Max Verstappen explains his anger on the radio after a problem deemed «unacceptable» at Red Bull
The erosion of staff within Red Bull Racing has been raising questions in the paddock for several months. After dominating Formula 1 for several seasons, the Austrian team has seen several important members of its organization walk out the door.
Among the most notable departures are those of Adrian Newey, former technical director and architect of the team’s recent successes, Jonathan Wheatley, long-time sporting director, and Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s historical advisor. Added to this is the future departure of Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen’s long-time race engineer, who will join McLaren by 2028 at the latest.
Other technical profiles have also chosen to take on new challenges elsewhere. Paul Monaghan, former chief engineer at Red Bull, will soon join Cadillac, while Michael Manning, after 15 years at Milton Keynes, recently joined Williams.
This accumulation has fueled some interpretations in the paddock, with several observers believing these departures could be linked to Max Verstappen’s situation and his significant influence within the team.
Alan Permane downplays Verstappen’s role in these departures
Asked about this wave of movements, Alan Permane, director of the Racing Bulls team, acknowledged that it is always difficult for a team to lose experienced members. But according to him, this phenomenon is not unique to Red Bull.
“Of course, you don’t want to lose good people. No team wants to lose good members.”
The Briton believes that departures are often a natural consequence after several years of success.
“One of the things we’ve noticed over the years is that when a team experiences a lot of success for a long time, then perhaps becomes less competitive, some people start to leave.”
Read more George Russell explains his delay behind Kimi Antonelli after a setup error at Spa
“They sometimes feel they have accomplished their mission and want to take on new challenges in other teams.”
A too simplistic reading?
While some departures were quickly associated with Max Verstappen’s entourage, Permane nuances this analysis. According to him, it would be reductive to consider that every person who left Red Bull was directly linked to the four-time world champion.
“I know many headlines talk about a ‘new Verstappen ally leaving Red Bull’. I’m not sure that’s really the reality.”
“I don’t think all the people who left simply clung to Max’s coattails.”
For the Racing Bulls manager, the real challenge is rather to maintain an environment attractive enough to retain the best talents.
“You simply don’t want to lose good people. You want to keep them and create a working environment that makes people want to stay with you.”
“I don’t think this is any different for any other team in the paddock.”
As Red Bull tries to regain a stronger momentum after several sporting difficulties, the team’s ability to retain its key talents will certainly be one of the major issues in the coming seasons.
Read more What time to follow the F1 Qualifying of the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix?