Red Bull is continuing to navigate a period of significant change, marked by the departure of several high-profile figures in recent years. Now, former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher has shared an intriguing paddock rumour suggesting that another key member of the Milton Keynes-based team could soon be heading for the exit.
Rumours surrounding Paul Monaghan
Speaking on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, Ralf Schumacher suggested that Paul Monaghan, Red Bull’s chief engineer responsible for car development, could be the next senior figure to leave the team.
Schumacher admitted that the information was based on paddock speculation rather than confirmed facts.
“That’s what people are saying in the paddock. Of course, I’m not completely up to date on the situation,” he said.
He then explained what had caught his attention regarding Monaghan’s recent comments and behaviour.
“What struck me most was that he spoke quite emphatically, not against Max Verstappen, but he offered a counterbalance to the criticism by saying: ‘We know Max quite well and the situation is not actually that serious. It needs to be put into the proper context.’ It was the first time that an official representative dared to express a different point of view, at least to some extent.”
Recent departures and the wider team context
The Austrian team has already experienced several major departures in recent years, including those of Christian Horner, Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley and Helmut Marko. In addition, Max Verstappen’s long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase is expected to join McLaren in 2028, further dismantling the structure that helped Red Bull dominate Formula 1 during the first half of the 2020s.
Monaghan has been part of the team for almost as long as Red Bull has competed in Formula 1 and has played a key role throughout some of its most successful eras, first alongside Sebastian Vettel and later during Max Verstappen’s championship-winning campaigns.
Schumacher also theorised that the situation within the team would be considerably more stable if Helmut Marko still maintained the influential role he once held inside the garage.
“Above all, it shows who is missing, and I cannot say it often enough: Dr. Helmut Marko,” Schumacher stated. “He filled exactly that role. He stood firmly behind the team, but also behind the drivers. He established clear boundaries, provided clear information and gave direction. In the end, that made a huge difference.”
“I think that is exactly what is missing now. On top of that, he handled an enormous amount of work behind the scenes. He solved problems, found the right people for key positions and kept everything running smoothly. That should not be underestimated. All of that is now gone. Added to this is a new corporate structure that emerged following the death of Dietrich Mateschitz.”
Red Bull is currently experiencing a noticeable dip in competitiveness at the beginning of the new regulatory cycle, while questions continue to surround Max Verstappen‘s long-term future with the team. According to Schumacher, the absence of influential figures such as Helmut Marko has left a significant void in both the management structure and the overall stability of the organisation.
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