Red Bull insist talent depth remains strong as chief engineer Monaghan nears Cadillac exit

Paul Monaghan, Red Bull’s 58-year-old chief engineer, is understood to be heading for the exit at the Milton Keynes team, with sources in the Austrian Grand Prix paddock confirming there is substance to reports linking him with a move to Cadillac. Neither team has officially commented, but the situation adds to a growing list of senior departures from the reigning constructors’ champions.

The news emerged during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, first reported by RacingNews365. While no formal announcement has been made, the potential move is understood to be a longer-term arrangement, with Monaghan likely taking on a more senior engineering role within Cadillac’s expanding operation.

Monaghan’s anticipated exit does not stand alone. Earlier this year it was confirmed that Max 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 outfits, while Red Bull itself parted ways with both Christian Horner and Helmut Marko.

Despite the sustained drain of experience, team principal Laurent Mekies moved to reassure observers that succession planning is firmly in place. “There are a lot of rumours about the team and the team personnel,” Mekies said. “If I look at the names that have been circulating in the last few months, most of them are still in the garage. Some had never wanted to leave, some have changed their mind and are staying with us.”

Mekies also addressed the broader question of whether Red Bull retains sufficient technical strength to remain competitive. “On that, I’m extremely confident,” he said when pressed on the depth of talent available even in the event of Monaghan’s departure, adding that insiders stress a succession plan exists for every senior figure within the organisation.

His remarks about personnel who chose to stay are understood to refer in part to speculation surrounding strategist Hannah Schmitz, though sources suggest the reports concerning Monaghan carry considerably more weight than those earlier rumours.

Each departure carries its own context, including personal financial considerations, and Monaghan’s case is no different — a potentially more prominent role at a new and ambitious Cadillac programme representing a significant career opportunity for the long-serving engineer.

For Verstappen, who remains under contract with Red Bull, Mekies offered no fresh concern. The team is said to be confident the four-time world champion will not be swayed by the ongoing personnel changes around him.