Red Bull facing turmoil: why Verstappen is losing a trusted confidant

Just under a year after the dismissal of Christian Horner and a few months after Helmut Marko’s departure, unrest has once again gripped Red Bull Racing. GPblog can confirm reports in international media that Ole Schack — the mechanic who has been with the Austrians from day one — has handed in his resignation with immediate effect.

The Japanese Grand Prix was his last race; for the first time in Red Bull Racing’s history, the Dane will be absent in Miami. Yet another familiar name leaving the team of and around Max Verstappen, once again for a now-familiar reason: internal strife.

With the appointment of Laurent Mekies as team principal, a fresh breeze blew through the Austrian outfit. Under the Frenchman’s leadership, the atmosphere has visibly improved.

That doesn’t mean everyone is on the same page, as has become painfully clear in recent weeks. Within the team there are different factions, each advocating a different way to make the faltering squad successful again.

This in turn breeds dissatisfaction, because certain people aren’t being listened to. For Ole Schack, that was the final straw, and the Dane has stepped down.

Planet F1 reports that Jon Caller, Verstappen’s chief mechanic, has also submitted his resignation letter, but this has (yet) to be confirmed to GPblog. Caller had only just started in his new role after his twin brother Matt moved to Audi earlier this year.

Previously, control engineer Michael Manning, engine engineer David Mart and performance engineer Tom Hart left the team around Max Verstappen. Only Gianpiero Lambiase remains from the old guard, although other teams have tried to lure the Brit away several times in the past.

For Max Verstappen, the internal bickering couldn’t have come at a worse time. The Dutchman hopes Red Bull can significantly improve his RB22, but that’s difficult when the people around him disagree.

Add to that the technical regulations that do not appeal to him, and it’s becoming increasingly realistic that the four-time world champion will leave Red Bull after this season — and who knows, Formula 1 altogether?