Red Bull: Horner is gone, but the synergy with Racing Bulls remains strong. Here’s how
Christian Horner is now a distant memory at Milton Keynes, but the strategies implemented under his leadership at Red Bull Racing remain intact and are stronger than ever today.
Two years ago, Red Bull unveiled the Red Bull F1 Marketing hub, a commercial and communications department based in Milton Keynes. It was designed to integrate all personnel from Red Bull Racing and the then AlphaTauri – now Racing Bulls – working in these sectors. The hub became a revenue-generating engine, benefiting both Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls, because any sponsor that could not be placed on the British cars would find a spot on the Faenza team. This arrangement also strengthened the synergy between the two squads.
At the same time, rumors about a possible sale of Racing Bulls were silenced, as the Faenza-based team was not profitable at the time. “The decision has been made. AlphaTauri will remain wholly owned by Red Bull and will continue to be managed as a junior team. Collaboration with Red Bull Racing will be closer, including budget cap alignment and technical synergies,” Helmut Marko announced in late summer 2023.
“AlphaTauri will have two new leaders, Laurent Mekies and Peter Bayer (the outgoing FIA secretary-general), starting in 2024. There will be new sponsors and even a new name. The focus is clear: leverage Red Bull Racing as much as regulations allow. DIY constructions are the wrong path.” And that is precisely what happened.
Back then, the marketing hub drew attention due to the timing of transferring part of the staff from other cities and countries – especially from Faenza – to Milton Keynes. Today, things have changed, but only in form. With Horner leaving Red Bull permanently a few months ago, the marketing hub no longer exists in practice, only in name. What the hub began doing, according to Motorsport.com sources, continues today, as Formula 1 attracts more sponsors daily and pushes each team toward profitability. Red Bull finds sponsors, and those who cannot be placed on RB cars go to VCARB.
It’s not just marketing and PR. The partnership between Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls continues and is stronger than ever. The 2026 season marks a period of deep changes, with new technical regulations significantly modifying cars after the ground-effect era. For this reason, synergy between the two teams is crucial, particularly to navigate Budget Cap limitations.
Motorsport.com reports that between late 2025 and early 2026, personnel exchanges occurred – and continue – between the two teams. Senior staff in marketing and engineering (for example, senior suspension design engineers) are moving between Faenza and Milton Keynes, totaling around forty transfers. Job postings appeared on major professional social networks, but the staff exchange under Red Bull’s control continues. In short, a strong behind-the-scenes synergy is in place at the start of a season where every advantage counts.
The promotion of Laurent Mekies from Racing Bulls team principal to Red Bull, along with Peter Bayer as CEO of the Faenza team, keeps the connections between the two Red Bull racing units alive. Milton Keynes remains the permanent hub for the present and future of the Red Bull motorsport empire.
Ultimately, the deepening bond between the two Red Bull entities serves as a strategic shield against the rising costs and technical complexities of modern Formula 1. By blending their commercial power and shifting veteran engineering talent across the Milton Keynes-Faenza axis, the organization is ensuring it remains a unified force. As the 2026 revolution looms, this “under the skin” collaboration might just be the decisive factor that keeps the Red Bull family at the front of the grid.
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