Paul Monaghan is leaving Red Bull Racing and is set to join Cadillac. At the new American team, Monaghan will take on a completely new challenge after having worked for Red Bull Racing since 2005.
Who is Paul Monaghan?
His job title upon arrival was Head of Race and Test Engineering. That role evolved into Chief Engineer, Car Engineering: responsible for maximizing car performance over a race weekend and translating race concepts into tangible performance on track.
Monaghan among a series of major departures
Monaghan is not the first big name to leave Red Bull. Adrian Newey now works at Aston Martin. Rob Marshall and Will Courtenay have moved to McLaren. Jonathan Wheatley previously departed to become team principal at Audi. Gianpiero Lambiase, Verstappen’s race engineer, will follow in 2028 to McLaren.
What does this mean for Verstappen’s future?
Monaghan’s departure once again puts Verstappen under the microscope. A few years ago, Verstappen said it was important to him that the key figures within the team would stay. In the meantime, nothing remains of the old guard. Only Pierre Waché can still be considered one of the men Verstappen has worked with for years.
It’s clear that Verstappen is weighing his options for 2027. The Dutchman has a contract through 2028, but reportedly has a clause allowing him to leave Red Bull if he’s not in the top two of the championship going into the summer break. Given Red Bull’s current performances, that clause appears likely to be triggered.
Schumacher set the rumor mill in motion
Schumacher sees Monaghan’s possible departure as a symptom of a bigger problem: the loss of Helmut Marko. “He fully stood behind the team, but also behind the drivers. He set boundaries, gave clear information, and provided direction. That made a big difference.” Marko also handled a lot behind the scenes: he solved problems, found the right people for key positions, and kept things running. “All of that is now gone.”