Red Bull hit with major departure days before 2026 F1 season as statement issued

Red Bull have reportedly been rocked by a major departure on the eve of the second testing week ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season.

Last week, the first test took place around the Bahrain International Circuit, with all 11 teams taking to the track.

Mercedes impressed by the end of the week as Kimi Antonelli and George Russell topped the timing charts.

They were followed by Ferrari stars Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris were fifth and sixth, respectively, with Max Verstappen in seventh.

This week, teams will continue their preparations with another test held in Bahrain.

On Tuesday morning, it was reported that Red Bull have been hit with a major departure.

Max Verstappen on track in Bahrain. Image: Getty

As per Planet F1, Red Bull chief designer Craig Skinner is set to leave after four years of leading the design team.

It is believed that Skinner chose to end his time with Red Bull, having joined back in 2006 as a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) engineer.

He was then appointed deputy head of aerodynamics in 2018 before being named as chief designer in 2022.

A statement read: "After 20 years with the team, Craig Skinner, our Chief Designer, will be leaving the Red Bull Technology team.

"Craig has been an integral part of our team and its success, and we would like to thank him for his hard work and commitment. The whole Red Bull team wishes him all the best for the future."

Craig Skinner is set to depart Red Bull. Image: Getty

Over the last 12 months, Red Bull have announced several high-profile departures, including Christian Horner, who was sacked following the 2025 British Grand Prix in July.

Meanwhile, senior advisor Helmut Marko departed the team on the back of the 2025 season.

Despite the big-name exits, perhaps the most important member of the Red Bull team, Verstappen, remains.

The Dutchman will be looking to win his fifth world title this year, but has already expressed his discontent over the sport's new regulations.

Verstappen said: "Not a lot of fun, to be honest. I would say the right word is management. As a driver, the feeling is not very Formula 1-like. It feels a bit more like Formula E on steroids.

"As a pure driver, I enjoy driving flat out. And at the moment, you cannot drive like that. There's a lot going on. A lot of what you do as a driver, in terms of inputs, has a massive effect on the energy side of things. For me, that's just not Formula 1."