Ted Kravitz says it’s ‘weird’ to see one person on the Red Bull pitwall at the US Grand Prix

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Red Bull will be a very different team off the track come 2025 as the defending champions have lost multiple key personnel.

The Milton Keynes-based squad may look in a comfortable position on the track as Max Verstappen is on course for his fourth consecutive title, but it has been far from smooth off of it. Throughout this season, several influential figures within Red Bull’s organisation have confirmed their departures and will be moving elsewhere in the paddock.

The biggest loss of them all is undoubtedly Adrian Newey. The legendary designer, who has helped build Red Bull up from the midfield to winning six constructors’ titles and seven drivers’ championships, will be joining Aston Martin in 2025.

Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley will be departing the team next year as he will join the project at Audi. The Brit will become their team principal in 2025 but he will see out his role with the defending champions until the end of the season.

As the team loses their sporting director, Red Bull will be handing one of their rivals one, as McLaren have secured the signature of Will Courtenay. The Milton Keynes outfit’s Head of Strategy has been with the team since they were under the Jaguar name as has been part of their success in the early 2010s and the ground-effect era.

Ted Kravitz thinks it is ‘weird’ that Will Courtenay is continuing his role Red Bull before joining McLaren in 2025

All three of these departures will be incredibly difficult to take for Red Bull and their operation. This is particularly the case with Courtenay, as McLaren are arguably the team’s closest rivals right now.

Red Bull are ‘hurting’ from Courtenay’s departure, but despite this, Ted Kravitz has noticed at the United States Grand Prix that the Brit is still working in his role as head of strategy on the pit wall.

The pit lane reporter found this revelation ‘weird’ as he discussed the news on Ted’s Notebook after the Sprint Race: “McLaren have attracted the Red Bull top strategist Will Courtenay to be their new sporting director working under Andrea Stella.

“But Will Courtenay is still here, doing the strategy for Red Bull, which is weird. Red Bull seem to be very generous with the people who are leaving them and not putting them on gardening leave, but getting their worth out of them.

“Will Courtenay it seems is seeing out his contract at Red Bull, but will be joining McLaren next year as their sporting director.”

Max Verstappen extended his lead in the championship after winning the Sprint race in Austin

Verstappen continued his 100% record in Sprint races in 2024 as the Dutchman took victory on Saturday in Austin.

Carlos Sainz took advantage of Lando Norris’ lock up on the final lap at turn one to snatch second from the McLaren. Subsequently, Verstappen has extended his lead over Norris in the drivers’ championship to 54 points.

It may have only been two points gained for the 27-year-old but with the races and points opportunities dwindling, Norris is under pressure to keep the fight alive against Verstappen for the title.

Red Bull seem to have found some performance in Austin with the new upgrades they have brought to the RB20. Only time will tell if they can keep that speed up in the race on Sunday.