Will Courtenay is leaving Red Bull Racing in mid-2026 to join McLaren as their new sporting director.
Courtenay has been with Red Bull since 2005, starting when the team first entered Formula One. He initially worked for Jaguar before Red Bull acquired the team, and he stayed on, climbing the ranks from strategy engineer to senior analyst. By 2010, he became Head of Race Strategy.
Working with Hannah Schmitz
At Red Bull, Courtenay collaborates closely with Hannah Schmitz. They take turns at the pit wall during Grand Prix weekends, ensuring that Red Bull excels in racing strategy. When not at the pit wall, they work from their base in Milton Keynes.
Moving to McLaren
In September 2024, after the Singapore Grand Prix, McLaren announced that Courtenay would join them as sporting director in 2026. Andrea Stella expressed his excitement about Courtenay joining their management team. However, Courtenay will remain with Red Bull until mid-2026 to fulfill his contract obligations.
Fans might be curious about how this move will impact both teams in future races.
What do you think about this big change?
