Ralf Schumacher accuses Horner and Waché of failing Red Bull, pointing to their role in the team’s recent struggles and decline.
In recent years, Red Bull has lost several key members of its technical team to rival F1 teams. Chief Designer Rob Marshall, Race Strategy Director Will Courtenay, and Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley have all left the Milton Keynes-based team. However, the most significant blow came with the departure of Newey, the technical mastermind who had been with Red Bull since 2006. In March, he joined Aston Martin.
This talent drain coincided with a decline in Red Bull’s performance, with the team slipping to third place in the Constructors’ Championship last year. Once again, they struggled to create a Formula 1 car that was both fast and easy to drive.
Following Newey’s exit, along with Wheatley and other departures, Red Bull largely promoted from within, with Waché taking on the overall responsibility for the 2025 RB21 car.
Schumacher believes Red Bull is starting to feel the absence of Newey, and he points the finger at Waché for the current struggles.
“In my opinion, Pierre Waché simply isn’t Adrian Newey,” Schumacher said. “As a result, it’s going to be tough for Red Bull in the years ahead.”
The former F1 driver also attributes the team’s challenges to the management of Christian Horner, Red Bull’s Team Principal. Schumacher claims that Horner made a critical mistake by allowing someone as talented as Newey to leave.
“He built the team and, along with Dr. Helmut Marko, he’s responsible for it. He should have seen that coming. Losing Adrian Newey was a huge mistake,” Schumacher added.
In 2024, Horner was embroiled in a scandal after an employee accused him of inappropriate behavior. Although he was ultimately cleared after an investigation, Schumacher believes the controversy began to take a toll on the team.
“This is a classic management issue at Red Bull,” Schumacher explained. “When things start to fall apart, and you think you can do without certain people, that’s when problems arise. I think Christian Horner has pushed things too far and now faces a dilemma.”
Schumacher further commented that with Horner, there’s always a sense that he is doing whatever it takes to stay in control, but questioned whether that is always a positive thing for the team.
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Red Bull’s Decline: Horner and Waché Under Fire Red Bull’s Decline: Horner and Waché Under Fire