McLaren has announced that it has poached Will Courtenay from Formula 1 championship rivals Red Bull to become the team’s new Sporting Director at a later date.
Courtenay has amassed over 20 years of experience with Red Bull, but he will step down from his position as Head of Race Strategy to complete a move to McLaren.
McLaren has stated that Courtenay will report to current Racing Director Randeep Singh as the two will collaborate on helping to “grow the team’s sporting operation”.
“We are delighted to welcome Will to McLaren,” McLaren boss Andrea Stella said.
“His experience, professionalism and passion for motorsport make him the ideal candidate to lead our F1 sporting function. We are now entering a key phase in our journey as a team, and we are confident that he will be a great addition to our strong leadership team as we strive to continue challenging for wins and championships.”
Red Bull insists Courtenay will complete contract
Courtenay will exit Red Bull along with design guru Adrian Newey, who is going to Aston Martin, and Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley, who is Sauber/Audi bound.
It hasn’t been revealed when Courtenay will be eligible to begin at McLaren, but a Red Bull source told Motorsport Week that he’ll “see out his contract until mid-2026”.
“After a long and successful service, being with the team since the Jaguar days, we are sad to see Will go but wish him all the best in this step up,” Red Bull said.
“Will continues to be part of the team, seeing out his contract until mid-2026.”
Courtenay’s impending move to McLaren will see him reunite with Rob Marshall, who traded his long-time role at Red Bull to commence work at McLaren last season.
Marshall has held an integral role in the Woking-based squad’s remarkable ascent, which has seen it overcome Red Bull at the top of the Constructors’ Championship.
McLaren’s revamped technical structure under Stella’s leadership has resulted in its 2024 challenger, the MCL38, being developed into the benchmark car on the grid.
With six rounds remaining in the current campaign, McLaren boasts a 41-point advantage over Red Bull, while Lando Norris resides 52 points behind Max Verstappen.
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