Red Bull is reportedly set to recruit Tom McCullough from Aston Martin as part of its continuing effort to rebuild its senior Formula 1 structure. According to German publication Bild, the experienced British engineer is expected to take responsibility for race engineering and the team’s operational work at the circuit.
The move would address part of the void that will eventually be left by Gianpiero Lambiase, who has already agreed to leave Red Bull and join McLaren in 2028. Lambiase currently combines a senior trackside leadership position with his highly visible role as Max Verstappen’s race engineer, meaning Red Bull plans to divide those responsibilities between different figures in the future.
Red Bull continues major Formula 1 recruitment drive
After losing several prominent figures over the past few years, Red Bull has become increasingly active in recruiting high-profile personnel to strengthen its organisation at Milton Keynes.
One of the most recent additions is Gwen Lagrue, who is joining from Mercedes to become director of the Red Bull Junior Programme. Lagrue spent more than a decade with the Silver Arrows and has established a strong reputation for identifying and developing young racing talent.
The recruitment drive forms part of a wider attempt to reinforce Red Bull’s long-term foundations following substantial changes throughout the organisation. On the sporting side, the team has also found greater stability alongside Max Verstappen, with Isack Hadjar making encouraging progress during the first half of 2026.
Tom McCullough set to leave Aston Martin for Red Bull
The latest addition is expected to be Tom McCullough. Bild reports that the British engineer will become Red Bull’s new head of race engineering, with responsibility for operational matters at the circuit and for coordinating the work of the engineering group during Grand Prix weekends.
News emerged in recent days that Tom McCullough is set to leave Aston Martin at the end of the year. He has most recently held a performance-focused leadership position within the Silverstone organisation after spending many years closely involved with its Formula 1 trackside operation.
His experience makes him a logical candidate for Red Bull as the team prepares for a significant restructuring of the responsibilities currently held by Gianpiero Lambiase.
Gianpiero Lambiase will leave Red Bull for McLaren
Lambiase is currently one of the most important figures in Red Bull’s trackside structure. Alongside his senior engineering responsibilities, the British-Italian engineer has been Max Verstappen’s race engineer since the Dutchman joined the team in 2016.
The pair have formed one of Formula 1’s most recognisable driver-engineer partnerships, playing a central role in Max Verstappen’s four world championships. Lambiase has nevertheless already signed an agreement to join McLaren in 2028, creating the need for Red Bull to reorganise his duties before his departure.
The change is particularly significant at a time when Red Bull is working to strengthen its organisation around Max Verstappen, whose future has continued to generate attention amid renewed speculation involving Mercedes.
Tom Hart will become Max Verstappen’s race engineer
Tom McCullough is not expected to take over every aspect of Gianpiero Lambiase’s current position. While McCullough would assume the broader responsibility for race engineering and trackside operations, Max Verstappen’s race-engineering role is set to be filled internally.
That position will go to Tom Hart, who has already worked closely with the Dutch driver as part of Red Bull’s engineering group. The British engineer had previously been linked with a move to Williams, but Red Bull ultimately convinced him to remain at Milton Keynes.
Red Bull’s future structure is therefore beginning to take shape: Tom McCullough is expected to oversee the wider race-engineering operation, while Tom Hart will become the voice working directly with Max Verstappen once Gianpiero Lambiase’s long association with the team comes to an end.
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