RED BULL have confirmed a major blow to their Formula One operation just over two weeks before the season is due to begin.
The lights go out for the first F1 race of the season on March 8 in Melbourne, Australia.
However, in an unexpected twist the team will now enter the season without chief designer Craig Skinner.
Skinner was an integral part of the team’s success in recent seasons, including Max Verstappen‘s period of dominance which landed the Dutchman four drivers’ titles in a row.
Having originally joined in 2006, he worked closely with Adrian Newey – who departed for Aston Martin last year – and Pierre Wache, the head of the team’s technical division.
But he has stepped down from his role at the Milton Keynes outfit after 20 years.
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In a statement Red Bull said: “After 20 years with the team, Craig Skinner, our Chief Designer, will be leaving the Red Bull Technology team.
“Craig has been an integral part of our team and its success, and we would like to thank him for his hard work and commitment.
“The whole Red Bull team wishes him all the best for the future.”
It is unclear what his next move will be, though Skinner’s exit is not thought to be connected to previous high-profile departures the team has seen, including the sacking of Christian Horner last summer.
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An engineering graduate from the University of Glasgow, Skinner started out as a CFD Engineer before moving into more senior roles within Red Bull’s aerodynamic department.
He enjoyed a four-year spell as chief of aerodynamics before becoming the chief designer in 2022.
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Red Bull are entering uncharted waters in 2026 with a new engine partner in Ford and their first-ever in-house-built F1 power unit.
Verstappen, who is partnered with Isack Hadjar following an impressive rookie season with Racing Bulls in 2025, has wasted no time in blasting the new regulations.
Last year’s championship runner-up fumed: “The rules are the same for everyone, so you have to deal with that [but] as a pure driver, I enjoy driving flat out and, at the moment, you cannot drive like that.”
