Key Red Bull Racing figure begins new job at rivals McLaren

Courtenay’s move to the Woking-based team was announced in 2024. The Head of Race Strategy of the Austrian squad was initially set to depart halfway through 2026. That was when Horner was still at the helm of the team.

Now, however, that has changed, as Courtenay has already started at McLaren as the team's Sporting Director.

This leaves only Hannah Schmitz as the lead engineer for race strategies. She will therefore be responsible within the team for deciding when to make pit stops. Previously, she did this alongside Courtenay, but from this season onward, she will no longer do so.

Courtenay is not the first person to join McLaren from Red Bull Racing. Chief Designer Rob Marshall also joined the papaya team from the Austrian outfit in 2024.

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