The Red Bull outfit will have to manage this season without chief designer Craig Skinner. The Brit announced his departure on Monday — just weeks ahead of the season-opener in Melbourne. Skinner had been with the Austrian team for more than twenty years. He was appointed chief designer in 2022; prior to that he led the aerodynamics department. In recent years Red Bull has already lost several senior figures at pace.
With Skinner’s exit, the exodus at Red Bull continues. Over the past years the team has parted ways with a number of key figures, including Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley and Will Courtenay. Most of them moved to rival outfits. Newey and Wheatley are now active at Aston Martin and Audi respectively, while Courtenay is sporting director at McLaren. Team principal Christian Horner was also forced out last year — after two decades. Behind the scenes, however, the 52-year-old Brit is working on a return to Formula 1.
According to insiders, Craig Skinner’s departure comes as no surprise. Still, it’s striking that he stepped down on the eve of a new F1 season. The impact on Red Bull and star driver Max Verstappen appears limited for now. Skinner reported to technical director Pierre Waché, who remains ultimately responsible for the development and design of the Red Bull cars.
