(Motorsport-Total.com) – With Paul Monaghan, the next personnel change might be imminent at Red Bull. However, although the chief engineer could reportedly be heading to Cadillac according to our sister portal Motorsport.com, team principal Laurent Mekies remains confident in Spielberg.
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Regarding Max Verstappen, whose future in the top class remains initially uncertain, the 49-year-old emphasizes in this context: “Max wants a fast car,” he said.
“He has always wanted a fast car, and he completely trusts us to do everything in our power both short-term and long-term to achieve our return to success and long-term success.”
“I said this a few weeks ago: We don’t ask Max every week [if he’s staying],” Mekies explains. He emphasizes that the four-time world champion greatly helps his current team, especially in the development work of the car.
The team principal’s conclusion: “For us, [Max leaving] is not an issue. For us, it’s about positioning the car again where we want to be. And I hope you agree with us that once the car is where we want it to be, there will be no further discussions.”
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Besides a departure from Formula 1, Verstappen is often linked with Mercedes. In this context, a meeting between his father Jos and Toto Wolff in Canada caused a stir.
Red Bull has not yet commented on the rumors surrounding Monaghan. However, Mekies emphasizes in Spielberg: “There are many rumors around the team and its personnel.”
Recently, Red Bull had to record the upcoming departure of Gianpiero Lambiase, who is Verstappen’s current race engineer. In recent years, names like Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley, Will Courtenay, or Rob Marshall have been mentioned, all once holding high-ranking positions and now no longer part of the Red Bull family.
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Although the team had spoken early on about the story around Lambiase, Mekies explains: “I don’t think it would be right for me to talk about every single rumor.”
“If I look at the names mentioned in recent months, most of them are still in [our] garage. Some never wanted to leave, others changed their minds and are staying with us.”
The latter remark could be interpreted as a hint towards Hannah Schmitz, whose future has already been the subject of rumors. Apart from various discussions, the team principal remains optimistic and emphasizes to Motorsport.com:
“The most important factor is the depth [of our team]. We have gathered enormous competence at all levels. Accordingly, we will not look for excuses and claim that we lack A, B, or C to be fully competitive again. We have everything in-house.”
Furthermore, Mekies emphasizes: “If we need to complete this equation, we will do so. But our current [personnel level] does not limit us in any way.”
A prime example of this mindset is Ben Waterhouse. He was promoted in spring 2026 from the internal squad to chief engineer for performance and design. It remains questionable whether this will be enough to keep the four-time champion at Red Bull.
In Spielberg, Red Bull has a new upgrade package for the RB22 on board. So far, the car has not been able to consistently keep up with the pace of Mercedes or Ferrari in the 2026 season.
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