Will Courtenay Starts McLaren Role Early

Will Courtenay, a veteran strategist who spent more than two decades at Red Bull Racing, has begun his new role as sporting director at McLaren ahead of schedule, bolstering the reigning Formula 1 champions as they prepare for the 2026 season.

The British engineer, who served as Red Bull's head of race strategy for the past 15 years, announced his early arrival at the Woking-based team on LinkedIn this week, just before the first preseason test at the end of January 2026. His move, first revealed in September 2024, had originally called for Courtenay to remain on gardening leave with Red Bull until mid-2026. However, an agreement between the teams allowed him to join McLaren sooner, ensuring he could contribute to their operations without delay.

Courtenay's tenure at Red Bull, which began in 2005 following a stint with the team's predecessor Jaguar Racing, played a pivotal role in eight constructors' championships. He contributed to four straight titles with Sebastian Vettel from 2010 to 2013 and four more with Max Verstappen from 2021 to 2024. Reporting directly to McLaren racing director Randeep Singh, Courtenay brings tactical expertise to a squad entering the year as both...