Red Bull Racing is officially done with nostalgia. As the 2026 F1 season dawns, the Milton Keynes-based outfit isn't just swapping engines; it’s aggressively scrubbing its halls of the "Old Guard”.
In a display of corporate winter cleaning, the team has continued its systematic dismantling of the inner circle once loyal to Christian Horner.
The transition to a Red Bull Powertrains-Ford OEM powerhouse was always going to be seismic, but the tremors in the C-suite are proving just as violent as those on the dyno.
Since Horner was sensationally sacked last July – following a performance nosedive and a tenure marred by internal friction and off-track controversy – the team has been in a state of constant evolution.
With Laurent Mekies now steering the ship, the message is clear: if you were part of the Horner entourage, your keycard might not work tomorrow.
Following the earlier exits of marketing and comms heavyweights Oliver Hughes and Paul Smith, the team has now "weeded out" the final remains of the previous regime.
The latest casualties include Joanna Fleet, the veteran head of Human Resources who spent 13 years at the team, and Julia George, the Director of Partnerships.
A Clean Slate for 2026
The purge didn't stop at the executive level. Simon Smith-Wright, the Group Marketing Director, and Alice Hedworth – once the inseparable PR shadow of Sergio Perez – have also been shown the exit door.
This exodus marks a definitive end to the 20-year cultural footprint Horner established since 2005.
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By severing ties with these long-standing administrative pillars, Red Bull GmbH and Oliver Mintzlaff are signaling a total "reset”.
Formula 1’s new era isn't just about a new powertrain; it’s about a team culture that is no longer indebted to its founding principal. As the paddock prepares for the first roar of the 2026 engines, Red Bull is betting that by burning its past, it can secure its future.
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