Red Bull’s Monaghan explains why team ‘has become home’

Red Bull’s chief engineer Paul Monaghan has explained why he was among those that opted to remain with the championship winning outfit amid the team’s period of uncertainty earlier this year.

Amid the turmoil that seized Red Bull last winter following the accusations of inappropriate behaviour levied upon team boss Christian Horner, and for which the latter was cleared, rumors emerged that several key staff were contemplating leaving the team.

Over the months that followed, as reports of Adrian Newey’s exit became more substantive, Red Bull secured the future of technical director Pierre Waché, who had drawn interest from Ferrari, and it also renewed agreements with its head of aerodynamics Enrico Balbo and its head of performance engineering Ben Waterhouse.

In late May, it was announced that Monaghan had also agreed a new contract with the Milton-Keynes-based outfit.

In June however, Newey’s exit was confirmed while last week, Red Bull announced that long-standing sporting director Jonathan Wheatley would leave the team at the end of the season to join Audi-Sauber’s F1 endeavor.

Monaghan, who joined Red Bull in 2005, offered a lighthearted response when asked by PlanetF1 about his decision to stay: "Do you want a serious answer or the flippant one?!" he joked.

But his deeper reflection highlighted the sense of belonging he feels at Red Bull. "It felt like the right thing to do," he concluded.

• Read also: Red Bull to rebuild from within following Newey and Wheatley exits

Looking forward, Monaghan is particularly excited about Red Bull's upcoming transition to complete independence as an F1 engine manufacturer.

"You look at what's coming over the next few years and the people I know… faces come and go, but it's kind of become home, hasn't it?" he said.

"In 2026, we're autonomous, aren't we? What an opportunity! What a wonderful investment that Red Bull is making…for us to do our own engine? It's mad, isn't it, but brilliant!"

Perhaps the most telling aspect of Monaghan's decision is the sheer enjoyment he derives from his work.

"Ultimately, what I want is… it's not going to be a cruise, is it? It's going to be hard work," he acknowledged.

“It’s going to be a lot of hours, and it’s going to be weekends, all that sort of thing. You kind of accept that when you enter this pool but, primarily, what I set out wanting was to enjoy it.

However, he emphasizes the enjoyment factor: "Would it be as enjoyable elsewhere, would it be more… I don't know. But everything I've got here makes it fun, makes it enjoyable.

“You get up in the morning and think ‘Yes! It's not a real job…’

“I read a quote somewhere: ‘Find something you love doing and you’ll never do a day’s work in your life’.

“Well, it goes towards that – good, bad, indifferent, good or bad days, I like the people I work with. I don’t know whether they like me, they’re probably quite the opposite! But I enjoy it.”

Monaghan is certainly on the same page as his colleague Pierre Waché, who also values the unique team spirit fostered at Red Bull, highlighting the freedom to develop and the lack of corporate pressure as key factors in their decision to stay.

“Personally, because it’s a team – it’s not a company,” commented Waché.

“We are not corporate and we are leaving the people freedom to develop themselves and to act as themselves. This is not the case in every company and team.

“What Adrian and Christian have developed as a team is still a race team. We still have the racing mentality aspect and we are taking risks – Red Bull, as a parent company, has a massive trust in the system and never puts pressure on us in a bad way.

“We are winning together and we are losing together – I think this is something you don’t find somewhere else.”

While Newey and Wheatley are key figures that will be difficult to replace at Red Bull, the team has overall demonstrated remarkable resilience in maintaining a stable environment.

By fostering a strong team culture, investing in its future through projects like Red Bull Powertrains, it has proved to be a genuine home for many key staffers who value the team's unique atmosphere and ambition.

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