Red Bull Loses Yet Another Key Staff Member As Team Struggles Through Italian Grand Prix

Saajan Jogia | Sep 1, 2024

May 4, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Crew members push the car of Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen (1) back to the paddock after the F1 Sprint Race at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

One of Max Verstappen's mechanics, Adam Wootton, has announced his Red Bull exit, adding to the list of many who are to depart the team that dominated the ground effect era until 2023. The series of key exits paints a grim picture for Red Bull, which also faces unpredictable problems with its 2024 title contender, the RB20 F1 car.

As the grid tightens at the front owing to Red Bull's diminishing marginal returns, the outfit secured 7 victories out of the 16 Grands Prix so far, marking a vast difference to 2023's tally of 21 out of 22 race wins. However, it isn't just on-track performance that has affected the team this season.

The year started with an announcement of team principal Chrisitan Horner being under investigation for accusations of inappropriate behavior. Though the team boss was cleared of any wrongdoing, the incident made headlines, eclipsing the initial wins their Dutchman secured in the first ten races of the season.

What followed was the speculation about an internal power struggle within the Milton Keynes outfit, involving Horner and senior advisor Helmut Marko. While that faded gradually, the month of May marked the announcement of Adrian Newey's exit. The aero guru has been responsible for designing one of the most dominant cars in Formula 1, which helped the driver secure three championship titles.

In addition to Newey, sporting director Jonathan Wheatley also announced his exit, slated for 2025, when he moves to Sauber as team principal. It is believed that a lack of opportunities within Red Bull caused him to make the switch, with the position of team principal above him already occupied by Horner for the distant future. Wheatley's announcement comes at a time when Red Bull struggles to undo a series of mid-season upgrades on its title contender that caused the car's balance to suffer immensely.

Now though, one of Verstappen's mechanics, Wootton is the next to depart Red Bull as per GPBlog.com. The caption in his Instagram post suggests he served the outfit for eight years: "My (premature) leaving meal with some of the boys who’ve made the last 8 and a bit years ❤️."

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A post shared by Adam Wootton (@woots_90)

Red Bull is currently grappling with multiple issues that demand urgent attention, both on and off the race track. With McLaren narrowing the gap in the Constructors' Championship to just eight points, it is only a matter of time before the Papaya team makes a pass. In contrast, the Drivers' Standings tells a different story, with Verstappen holding a 62-point lead over Lando Norris. However, with eight rounds remaining, various scenarios could still favor either team.