Worrying “take ideas somewhere else” theory touted about Red Bull brain drain

Red Bull’s downturn in performance on-track has been linked to the multiple high-profile staff exits.

The F1 constructors’ champions have had to deal with the impending departures of senior figures Adrian Newey (to Aston Martin), Jonathan Wheatley and Lee Stevenson (to Audi), and Will Courtney and Rob Marshall (to McLaren).

Their RB20 also declined concerningly in its competitiveness as McLaren and Lando Norris established themselves as the fastest car and driver in F1.

Sky Sports’ Danica Patrick has considered whether there is a link to Red Bull’s top experts vacating their jobs and the team’s car lacking in development.

Patrick said on Sky: “If you take a second look at what has happened over this season, with all these people leaving. I’m sure they didn’t decide on the day that we figured it out. Probably when Adrian left is when a lot had something to thinking about.

“At that time you stop sharing information.

“If you are going somewhere else, you want to take your new ideas somewhere else.

“There is a period of time where the leaders are not necessarily leading.

“The others have to figure out who will take the lead, take the charge, bring ideas through and implement them.

“It’s a process, the turning of the guard. It takes time. That gap of time is when everybody was thinking ‘where am I going to go?’

“There might not have been as much progress during that time. Possibly…”

Red Bull talent 'learned from greats'

However, Jenson Button has backed Christian Horner to rebuild his senior leadership team with talent from within the Red Bull pool.

“I believe in what Christian said, that they have a lot of talented people underneath,” Button said.

“A lot of their personnel have been there for decades so have learned from the greats.

“It takes a minute to step into their shoes but it will happen.

“James Vowles to Williams - I was surprised at their decision to take him. But how great has he been? He learned from the great Toto Wolff.

“It will always happen when a top team wins everything that other teams will try to poach. Because they will pay them more money and give them a better role within that team.

“It happens. You’ve got to be ready for it.”