Red Bull confident of retaining Verstappen as Monaghan linked with Cadillac move

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has moved to reassure Max Verstappen over the team’s technical strength after chief engineer Paul Monaghan emerged as the latest senior figure linked with a departure from the Milton Keynes outfit during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend.

RacingNews365 first reported on Friday that the 58-year-old Monaghan is set to join Cadillac. Neither team has officially commented, but Autosport understands from paddock sources that there is substance behind the story. Any move would be a longer-term arrangement rather than an immediate switch.

The development does not sit in isolation. Earlier this year it was confirmed that Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase will join McLaren in 2028. Before that, Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley, Will Courtenay and Rob Marshall all departed for rival teams, while Red Bull itself parted ways with Christian Horner and Helmut Marko.

Mekies acknowledged the volume of speculation but declined to address individual cases beyond Lambiase, whose high-profile role made comment unavoidable. “If I look at the names that have been circulating in the last few months, most of them are still in the garage,” he said. “Some had never wanted to leave, some have changed their mind and are staying with us.”

That latter remark is understood to refer in part to speculation surrounding engineer Hannah Schmitz, though sources suggest the reports on Monaghan carry considerably more weight.

On the question of whether enough technical talent remains at Red Bull to sustain its competitiveness, Mekies was unequivocal. “On that, I’m extremely confident,” he told Autosport. “The most striking aspect of the first 12 months is the strength in depth that we have. We have incredible talent at all levels.”

Red Bull insiders stress that a succession plan exists for every senior figure, including Monaghan, who is thought to be attracted by the prospect of a more senior engineering role within Cadillac’s expanding operation. Each departure, the team maintains, must be assessed on its own terms — including the personal financial considerations that inevitably shape such decisions.

The cumulative effect of the exits has, however, kept questions about Verstappen’s long-term commitment to Red Bull firmly in circulation, with the four-time world champion’s future a recurring subplot throughout a difficult 2025 season.