Red Bull Racing has disclosed a sweeping reorganisation within its technical division, aimed at sharpening the team’s emphasis on performance and cutting‑edge innovation. The changes centre around promoting long‑time staff member Ben Waterhouse and bringing in fresh leadership from the team’s sister outfit, Racing Bulls. Ben Waterhouse, who joined Red Bull in 2017 as the head of performance engineering, has been elevated to the role of Chief Performance and Design Engineer.
In this broadened capacity, Waterhouse will now answer directly to Technical Director Pierre Wache. The promotion expands his remit to cover both the design of the car and its overall on‑track performance. According to Red Bull, consolidating these two areas under a single leader will tighten the integration between design concepts and performance outcomes, thereby speeding up the development of competitive, high‑performance solutions.
In tandem with Waterhouse’s promotion, Red Bull has announced that Andrea Landi will join the team on 1 July, moving over from the sister team Racing Bulls where he has served as Deputy Technical Director. Landi will assume the position of Head of Performance and will report to Waterhouse. Landi’s résumé includes a stint as Deputy Head of Vehicle Performance at Ferrari, giving him a wealth of experience in extracting speed from a Formula 1 car. His appointment is intended to bolster Red Bull’s performance department and to provide a clear chain of command that links design, engineering, and on‑track execution.
A Red Bull press release emphasised that these personnel adjustments are part of a longer‑term technical strategy. The statement highlighted the team’s commitment to nurturing internal talent while also attracting top‑tier expertise from across the sport. By promoting Waterhouse and recruiting Landi, Red Bull hopes to create a more cohesive technical environment that can respond swiftly to the challenges presented by the new set of regulations introduced for the 2024 season. The timing of the reshuffle comes after a difficult start to the current Formula 1 campaign.
Red Bull, the reigning champions, find themselves sixth in the Constructors’ Championship after just three races, trailing the early leaders Mercedes by 119 points. The new technical leadership is expected to help close that gap by delivering faster aerodynamic packages, more efficient power units, and refined vehicle dynamics. The restructuring also follows a period of turnover within Red Bull’s staff ranks. Over recent years, several key figures have departed for rival teams.
Most notably, Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen’s race engineer and the team’s Head of Racing, has signed a deal to join McLaren in 2028 once his current contract expires. Such departures have underscored the need for Red Bull to reinforce its technical core and ensure continuity in its development pipeline. Looking ahead, the team will have the opportunity to test the impact of these changes at the upcoming Miami Grand Prix, scheduled for 1‑3 May, which also marks the second Sprint weekend of the season.
The event will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, and fans can stream the coverage via NOW without a long‑term contract. In addition to the race action, Sky Sports offers a range of related content, including the F1 Show podcast and a dedicated WhatsApp service for updates. Beyond the immediate competitive implications, the reshuffle signals a broader shift in how Red Bull approaches talent management. By promoting from within—Waterhouse’s rise after seven years at the team—and by recruiting proven performers from affiliated teams—Landi’s move from Racing Bulls—the organisation is crafting a hybrid model that blends internal development with strategic external hires.
This approach aims to preserve the innovative culture that has driven Red Bull’s recent success while injecting fresh perspectives that can adapt to the evolving technical landscape of Formula 1. In summary, Red Bull’s technical team shake‑up positions Ben Waterhouse as the chief architect of performance and design, with Andrea Landi supporting him as head of performance. The changes are designed to tighten the link between car design and on‑track results, accelerate development cycles, and ultimately restore the team’s competitive edge in a season that has so far proven challenging. As the championship progresses, all eyes will be on how these leadership moves translate into lap times, race strategies, and, ultimately, points on the scoreboard.