The 2026 Formula 1 seasonal opener in the Australian GP is just around the corner, and Red Bull have suffered a major blow through one team cornerstone leaving

Max Verstappen will hope to reclaim his F1 title this season (Image: Getty)
Red Bull’s chief designer, Craig Skinner, is set to leave the Formula One team on the eve of the new season. Part and parcel of the team for the past four years, his exit could come as a major blow to Max Verstappen’s hopes of reclaiming a Drivers’ Championship in 2026.

As per Planet F1, the University of Glasgow alumnus’ exit was of his own choosing, closing off a 20-year stint with Red Bull – having joined the organisation in 2006 as a CFD engineer. A statement from the team read: “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’s not the only change that the team has undergone over the past year or so, with a major shake-up also potentially impacting Verstappen’s hopes of winning a fifth world championship. Laurent Mekies is now at the reins of the organisation, taking over from Christian Horner just days after last season’s British Grand Prix.

Helmut Marko also announced his departure from the team at the end of 2025, while four staff – including Alice Hedworth – were given the boot earlier this month in further restructuring works. It was a tough season on the grid for Verstappen in 2025, as the 28-year-old was pipped to the title by just two points by McLaren’s Lando Norris.

While Verstappen won more races than Norris over the course of the year – eight to his rival’s seven – podiums ultimately made the difference in the grand scheme of things, with the Briton claiming 18 places to the Dutch-Belgian’s admirable 15. McLaren also dominated in the Constructors’ Championship thanks to impressive performances from both Norris and Oscar Piastri, who finished third in the Drivers’ standings and trailed Verstappen by just 11 points.

Craig Skinner has left Red Bull (Image: Getty)

In the end, McLaren finished with a total of 833 points, a Mercedes team comprising George Russell and Kimi Antonelli in second with a total of 469, and Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda of Red Bull in third with 451. Tsunoda also finished 17th in the Drivers’ standings with 33 points to show for his efforts, with no wins nor podiums to his name.

Isack Hadjar will make the step up from the Racing Bulls to join Verstappen for 2026, while Tsunoda has been dropped to a role in the reserves and testing. However, Verstappen’s own future with the team has been cast into speculation as of late, with the driver taking issue with new rules and regulations set out by F1.

Speaking during the first week of pre-season testing in Bahrain, he said: “As a driver, the feeling is not very Formula 1-like. It feels a bit more like Formula E on steroids. As a pure driver, I enjoy driving flat out.

“And at the moment, you cannot drive like that. There’s a lot going on. A lot of what you do as a driver, in terms of inputs, has a massive effect on the energy side of things.

“For me, that’s just not Formula 1. Maybe it’s better to drive Formula E, right? Because that’s all about energy efficiency and management. That’s what they stand for. Driving-wise, it’s not so fun.”