McLaren has scored a major coup with the arrival of Will Courtenay, former head of race strategy at Red Bull, will join the Woking team as its new sporting director. After more than 20 years with the Milton Keynes team, 14 of which as head of strategy, Courtenay brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise gained in winning cycles with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. His move marks a further development in the battle between McLaren and Red Bull, both on a sporting and strategic level, further igniting the challenge for the constructors' and drivers' championship.
McLaren accelerates its growth with the arrival of Will Courtenay
Will Courtenay's arrival is just the latest piece in a major restructuring that began in 2022, when Andrea Stella was appointed team principal. Since then, McLaren has worked hard to return to the top ranks of Formula 1, progressively improving its performance until it became a serious candidate for the world title. The appointment of Courtenay, who will be responsible for overseeing and developing the team’s sporting operations, is part of an ambitious strategy aimed at consolidating McLaren’s position among the top teams on the grid.
Andrea Stella expressed great satisfaction with the new addition, saying: “We are thrilled to welcome Will to McLaren. His experience, professionalism and passion for motorsport make him the ideal candidate to lead our sporting function in Formula 1. We are at a crucial point in our journey as a team, and we are sure that Will will be a great asset to us as we continue to push for race and championship victories.”
With Courtenay, McLaren gains an experienced tactician who has demonstrated the ability to make crucial decisions at key moments.
Red Bull loses another leading figure
Courtenay’s move to McLaren represents another major loss for Red Bull, which has seen the departure of two other key figures in recent months: Adrian Newey, the legendary designer, and Jonathan Wheatley, the former sporting director. Courtenay is the third member of the management team to leave in just five months, signalling a significant “brain drain” that could change the balance within the Milton Keynes team.
While Red Bull has refrained from making any official comments, an inside source said: “We are sad to see Will go, but wish him all the best in his passing of the torch.” Courtenay will formally remain under contract with Red Bull until mid-2026, but usually in these situations negotiations are started to bring forward the employee's transfer, allowing him to start his new adventure sooner.
Courtenay's departure marks the end of an era for Red Bull. Along with Hannah Schmitz, Courtenay played a key role in transforming Red Bull into one of the most effective teams in terms of race strategy, directly contributing to the success achieved in recent years.
An open challenge for the constructors' title
With the arrival of Will Courtenay, the battle between McLaren and Red Bull for the constructors' championship becomes even more intense. McLaren currently leads the standings with a 41-point advantage over Red Bull. The drivers' championship, however, still sees Max Verstappen in the lead with a 52-point advantage over Lando Norris, who is proving to be an increasingly concrete threat to the reigning world champion.
Courtenay, who was a key figure in both of Red Bull’s golden eras, with world titles for Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, will now be tasked with replicating that success at McLaren, a rapidly rising team determined to return to the top of Formula 1. Under the leadership of Andrea Stella and with the support of CEO Zak Brown, McLaren appears to have all it takes to challenge Red Bull for the role of dominator of the category.
An uncertain future for Red Bull
The departure of such key figures within Red Bull casts a shadow over the future of the Milton Keynes team. Although the team can still count on talents such as Max Verstappen and the stability offered by Christian Horner, the repercussions of these departures could be felt as early as next season. Red Bull has already announced some internal reorganisations, with Gianpiero Lambiase, Verstappen's race engineer, appointed head of race operations, and Stephen Knowles taking on a new role in managing sporting regulations.
However, it is unclear whether these moves will fill the void left by the departures of Wheatley, Newey and now Courtenay. If McLaren continues to grow at its current rate, Red Bull could face a much greater challenge than anticipated.
McLaren and Red Bull: a duel destined to last
The acquisition of Will Courtenay represents a further step for McLaren in its rise to the top. The duel with Red Bull is set to intensify both on and off the track, with both teams competing not only for titles and victories, but also for the best talent in the paddock. The “brain drain” from Red Bull, culminating with Courtenay’s departure, is a sign of how competition in the Circus is not limited to the track alone, but involves every aspect of sporting and strategic management.
Source statements: FormulaPassion
