Red Bull reshuffles technical staff, promoting Andrea Landi and Ben Waterhouse

Red Bull’s 2026 campaign has stumbled. A chassis that lagged in China and Japan left Max Verstappen and rookie Isack Hadjar frustrated, and the team has responded with a swift technical reshuffle during an unusual April break.

Why it matters:

Red Bull’s dominance has defined F1 for five seasons. A slump now opens the door for rivals like McLaren and Ferrari, threatens the team’s commercial clout, and makes the 2026 aero‑efficiency era a steep catch‑up race.

The details:

• Leadership reshuffle: Ben Waterhouse promoted to chief performance and design engineer; Andrea Landi, former deputy technical director at Racing Bulls, joins as head of performance.
• Car issues: Verstappen and Hadjar called the chassis ‘terrible’ after Japan, pointing to excess weight and weak aerodynamic load.
• Upgrade window: The April break, granted by the cancellation of Bahrain and Saudi races, lets Red Bull test aero parts, shed mass and exploit a competitive RB‑24 engine that’s still held back by the chassis.

What's next:

Red Bull will introduce aero upgrades to boost down‑force while staying within the 2026 weight limit, and will fast‑track a lighter chassis in the summer. A measurable lap‑time gain at Hungary could restore its front‑running status for the season.