Succession, Strategy, and Success: Inside Red Bull Racing’s 400th GP

The 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at the famous Enzo e Dino Ferrari Circuit in Imola marked the 400th Grand Prix for Red Bull Racing & Red Bull Technology — 20 years after the team made its debut at the 2005 Australian GP in Melbourne.

For Team Principal Christian Horner CBE, it marked an important milestone both for the team and him personally. He has presided over Red Bull Racing since January 2005, when he was appointed to lead the team by Red Bull’s owner, Dietrich Mateschitz and motor sport boss Dr Helmut Marko.

Five years later, Red Bull Racing dominated Formula 1, winning both the teams and drivers titles between 2010 and 2013. That dominance has been repeated in the modern era. It was perhaps no surprise that Sunday’s 400th GP for the team was a typically resounding success.

But it wasn’t just World Champion Verstappen’s talent that delivered the brilliant victory — it was also down to the strategic decisions made by the team, and the flawlessly executed pit stops from the RBR crew. This really was a textbook team effort, and evidence once again that Red Bull Racing’s success is not down to any single individual but the collective efforts of over 1,500 men and women who make up the team today.

Christian Horner’s acknowledgement of the 102 employees who have been with the team throughout its entire 20-year journey is a testament to the culture of stability and loyalty that has underpinned Red Bull Racing’s long-term success. Navigating both periods of dominance and moments of internal pressure, the ability to adapt has been one of the team’s greatest strengths.

In 2024, much of the media focus was on the high-profile departures of Technical Director Adrian Newey and Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley, among others. However, the succession planning within the technical team has proven to be highly effective. Under the leadership of Pierre Wache, now Red Bull Racing’s Technical Director, the team has continued on its winning trajectory, demonstrating the depth of talent and resilience within the organisation.

With two Grand Prix already won this season, Max Verstappen remains firmly in the mix with McLaren pair Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris battling for the drivers’ championship. Unsurprisingly, the team hasn’t forgotten how to build a race-winning car or execute flawless strategies — a formula that has sustained its success in Formula 1 for two decades under Horner’s leadership.