Former Colombian driver Juan Pablo Montoya has expressed concerns about Red Bull’s management, claiming that the Austrian leadership wants to increasingly dominate the F1 team.
Major reshuffle in just a few months
Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley, Christian Horner, and Helmut Marko – the core leadership of Red Bull – have been completely reshuffled in less than two years. Adrian Newey has moved to Aston Martin, Wheatley took the opportunity to become team principal at Audi, while Horner and Marko were both removed, albeit in different ways.
Now, Laurent Mekies leads the Milton Keynes team. Despite the upheaval, Laurent Mekies has achieved a remarkable win rate, with six victories in twelve Grands Prix as team principal since joining from Ferrari.
Montoya’s perspective
According to Juan Pablo Montoya, Oliver Mintzlaff and the Austrian governance of the Red Bull brand want more influence over F1 team matters. This, he believes, is the reason behind Horner and Marko’s departures. “From what is said, Austria wants to be more involved and manage the team – Juan Pablo Montoya told Grosvenor Casinos – and that is a double-edged sword. If they gain greater control over the team, it then becomes a dictatorship. I don’t like using that word, but there will be only one way of doing things, one single direction, under a single leadership.”
As the off-season progresses, all eyes remain on Milton Keynes. Will the new structure unite the team for another championship push, or will centralized control prove divisive? F1 enthusiasts will be watching closely for signs in pre-season testing.
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