Present at RBR for almost 15 years, the Briton will move to McLaren, the main threat to Christian Horner’s men in the championship, to take on the role of sporting director at Woking, under the leadership of competition director Randeep Singh. Courtenay will stay at Red Bull until mid-2026.
This new announcement comes as the reigning champion team is in the process of extensively overhauling its driver duos within the parent team but also at Visa Cash RB. Sergio Pérez’s steering wheel is the object of all desire and there are numerous candidates to succeed the Mexican.
Daniel Ricciardo being out of the race, it is Yuki Tsunoda who is favored by the predictions to be promoted to Milton Keynes. The Japanese, who has been carrying the Faenza team at arm’s length for a year and a half, has matured and is ready for a transfer to England. He also admitted it himself: not getting a chance at RBR would be incomprehensible.
Protectionism
Helmut Marko also has Tsunoda-san as the maid. By promoting his protégé, Red Bull’s sports consultant would thus prevent him from going elsewhere and in particular to Aston Martin which will be Honda’s official team from 2026, the H firm having put its foot in Yuki’s stirrup in competition . And among the Japanese, we do not despair of recovering the child prodigy.
If Tsunoda were to stay at Visa Cash before a possible move to green, Liam Lawson, who will replace Ricciardo in Austin, is the other most credible candidate. However, the Kiwi lacks experience with only five Grands Prix to his name. Unless he eclipses Tsunoda in the next races, he is expected in Faenza for 2025, just like three other rookies whose names keep coming up.
Initially approached at Sauber, the Argentinian Franco Colapinto, not ridiculous for his interim at Williams, and the Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto, the man of the moment in Formula 2, are in the running. Respectively supported by Williams and McLaren, they know that the horizon is blocked in their respective teams and are therefore free to look elsewhere.
But we must not forget Isack Hadjar either. The Frenchman, candidate for the F2 title, is certainly experiencing a slump but the season is far from over and if the Red Bull protégé manages to pull himself together and take the crown, he has every chance of obtaining a flattering promotion.
In Milton Keynes and Faenza, the music hasn’t stopped. Beware of anyone who finds themselves without a chair when it stops.
