Red Bull Racing\u2019s chief designer is leaving the team on the eve of F1\u2019s 2026 regulation reset.<\/p>\n
Craig Skinner is set to depart the Milton Keynes organisation, after heading its design team for the past four years.<\/p>\n
Key RB19 architect Craig Skinner departs Milton Keynes organisation<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google<\/a> for news you can trust.<\/p>\n PlanetF1.com understands Skinner\u2019s departure is one of his own choosing, bringing to a close a long stint with Red Bull.<\/p>\n He joined the organisation in 2006 and initially worked as a CFD engineer.<\/p>\n In 2018, he was appointed deputy head of aerodynamics before rising to chief designer in 2022. His contribution to the design of the all-conquering RB19 was significant.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter 20 years with the team, Craig Skinner, our Chief Designer, will be leaving the Red Bull Technology team,\u201d said Red Bull in a statement.<\/p>\n \u201cCraig has been an integral part of our team and its success, and we would like to thank him for his hard work and commitment.<\/p>\n \u201cThe whole Red Bull team wishes him all the best for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n Red Bull has undergone a significant change over the past 12 months.<\/p>\n Laurent Mekies now heads the operation, having taken over from Christian Horner in the days following the 2025 British Grand Prix.<\/p>\n At the end of the F1 2025 season, Dr Helmut Marko announced he would depart the team too \u2013 officially by choice, but the implication was that he was eased out the door.<\/p>\n Earlier this month, PlanetF1.com revealed Red Bull undertook further restructuring, with four staff axed, including Alice Hedworth, who\u2019d worked as Sergio Perez\u2019s press officer before supporting Mekies through the early months of his tenure.<\/p>\n It amounts to what is, in many respects, an all-new operation, with new management and staff in key positions.<\/p>\n That has coincided with the introduction of the Red Bull Powertrains engine for F1 2026, which has impressed in its early running in both Barcelona and Bahrain.<\/p>\n More on Red Bull<\/p>\n Russell: Should be watching \u2018pretty scary\u2019 Red Bull, not Mercedes engine<\/a> Red Bull has emerged as something of a dark horse, with some suggesting the squad could hold the upper hand \u2013 at least when it comes to energy deployment from its power unit.<\/p>\n That doesn\u2019t appear to play out in the data, though Red Bull does look firmly among the top four teams, with Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar again expected to feature towards the front of the F1 grid.<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n
\u2018Not my goal to make him happy\u2019: Red Bull tech boss reacts to Verstappen\u2019s F1 2026 warning<\/a><\/p>\n