Red Bull Powertrain continues to establish its technical structure
Following the decision of Honda to leave Formula One at the end of the current F1 season, Red Bull decided to take over the power units of the Japanese engine manufacturer and create an own engine department, the Red Bull Powertrain. The company will be placed at the Red Bull Technology Campus in Milton Keynes.
The formation of the powertrain division represents Red Bull’s single largest investment in F1 since the establishment of Red Bull Racing in 2005 and provides both Red Bull and Scuderia AlphaTauri with sporting autonomy as well as seamless integration of engine and chassis for the first time.
Red Bull Powertrains announced in April that Ben Hodgkinson will work as its Technical Director, heading up all technical aspects with a key focus on developing Red Bull’s inaugural power unit.
Based in the state-of-the-art, purpose-built power unit facility which is currently under construction at the heart of the Red Bull Technology Campus in Milton Keynes, Hodgkinson will lead the powertrain group with full integration into the chassis team to deliver future power units that enable Red Bull to compete for world championships.
Red Bull Powertrains has also announced the expansion of its senior leadership team as preparations are put in place for the design of its inaugural power unit. The company has embarked on a recruitment programme aimed at building an expert technical team capable of taking Red Bull’s power unit operation to race and championship-winning success.
Steve Blewett has been appointed as the PU Production Director, Omid Mostaghimi has been named Head of Powertrains Electronics and ERS, Pip Clode has been confirmed as Head of Mechanical Design ERS, Steve Brodie has been announced as the Group Leader ICE Operations while Anton Mayo has taken on the role of Head of PU Design ICE.
Red Bull Racing Team Principal and CEO, Christian Horner, said: “Red Bull’s mission to bring all aspects of its Formula One operations in-house through Red Bull Powertrains is an enormously exciting undertaking but also an extremely demanding one, and we know that success will only be achieved by bringing in the best and brightest talent, by providing them with the right tools and by creating the right environment in which they can thrive.
„Today’s key leadership team appointments demonstrate our strong commitment to those goals and we certainly benefit from our campus being located in the UK where we have access to a huge wealth of engineering talent.
„Working with our new Technical Director, Ben Hodgkinson, and alongside key personnel retained from Honda Racing Development, each of the senior personnel announced today bring a wealth of experience, expertise and innovativity to the Red Bull Powertrains programme and provide us with the strongest possible technical platform for the future,” Horner said.
The team is expected to confirm its new Head of Mechanical Development in the coming weeks.
