Last Updated on March 31 2026, 7:20 pm
The early weeks of the 2026 season have brought an unfamiliar sense of instability to Red Bull. Reports of a potential departure for long-serving mechanic Ole Shank, alongside a string of high-profile exits, are adding to the impression that the team is entering a period of transition.
In Formula 1, drivers rarely react to single events, but to patterns. And at Red Bull, that pattern is beginning to shift. Reports of the possible departure of long-serving mechanic Ole Shank, first reported by F1-Insider, have added to speculation around internal tensions within the team. It is important to note that Red Bull has not officially commented on the reports regarding Shank.
What matters most to Verstappen at Red Bull
Shank’s exit follows a series of high-profile departures in recent months, including former team principal Christian Horner, legendary designer Adrian Newey and other influential figures who played a key role in shaping Red Bull’s dominant era. While not comparable in scale to the departures of Horner or Newey, it adds to a growing perception of change within the team.
For Max Verstappen, this matters. Stability has always been a cornerstone of Red Bull’s success, and the loss of experienced personnel raises questions about whether the team can continue to provide him with a championship-winning car. At a time when Verstappen is already voicing frustrations about the direction of Formula 1, such internal upheaval is unlikely to restore his confidence.
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Verstappen’s growing frustration with F1
Verstappen is clearly feeling unsettled at the start of the season, having struggled to make a significant impact so far. He has been outspoken in his criticism of Formula 1’s new technical regulations, and his dissatisfaction has been evident since before the opening race in Australia.
Verstappen openly questioned the changes to the chassis and engine rules, even comparing the sport to “Mario Kart”. Instead of softening his stance, he has continued to voice his concerns, fuelling speculation about his long-term future in the sport.
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“He’s losing faith”: concerns from within the paddock
Some observers now fear that Verstappen’s frustration runs deeper than mere competitiveness. Veteran journalist Jean-Luc Roy has suggested that the reigning world champion’s disillusionment could signal a more fundamental issue.
‘I’m separating what Verstappen is currently saying from his results, and he’s said so himself. You have the right not to believe him, but I do. He’s someone who has never lied about anything so far. I think the problem is the regulations. It’s more than that; it’s a change in the mentality of a sport that is becoming a product, a spectacle,” he told RMC this weekend.
‘Verstappen is passionate; he’s a driver. That’s why he did the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. You really have to love motorsport to do that. Last year, the beginning of the season wasn’t going well, but he didn’t receive any criticism. He was critical of his team, his car and perhaps himself, because he couldn’t do any better.’
Roy’s conclusion is stark: “I fear he’s losing faith. The problem is that he’s losing his passion for F1, not motorsport in general.”
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Red Bull’s announcement: focus on performance
Despite the noise surrounding Verstappen’s mood and the team’s internal changes, Red Bull insist that their priority remains purely technical. Team principal Laurent Mekies has made it clear that improving the car is their sole focus.
‘We are definitely focused on the competitive situation. Yes, that’s our priority. We’re not addressing any other aspects at all. I’ll talk about that in a moment. We have a lot of work to do. But I’m sure that Max will be much happier by the time we give him a fast car,” he explained.
Mekies reinforced that message, adding: ‘By the time we give him a car with which he can make a difference, he’ll be even happier. Honestly, our discussions are exclusively about this. As you know, the regulations have some positive aspects and some more challenging ones.”
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Can Red Bull turn it around?
Red Bull are expected to engage with rival teams during the upcoming break to discuss potential adjustments to the sporting regulations, an indication that concerns are shared across the grid.
However, it remains uncertain whether those changes, combined with car development, will be enough to restore Verstappen’s enthusiasm. The combination of regulatory frustration, a lack of performance and increasing internal upheaval presents a complex challenge.
Red Bull’s strategy is clear: build a faster car and everything else will fall into place. However, as the Ole Shank rumoured departure highlights, there may be deeper issues at play, and resolving these could be far more challenging than improving lap times.
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NEXT ARTICLE – Honda chief says Newey’s Aston Martin chassis design is at fault
Aston Martin enjoyed a better weekend at the 2026 Formula One Japanese Grand Prix after failing to get even one of their cars to the finish over the opening two rounds of the season. Fernando Alonso brought his AMR26 home one lap down in P17, although in the sister car Lawrence stroll was less fortunate.
The Canadian son of team owner Lawrence Stroll was forced to retire on lap 11 with a water pressure problem after qualifying plumb last in P22. Lance’s weekend in Suzuka was a miserable affair as he struggled to find an optimum aerodynamic setup along with significant vibrations from his Honda power unit.
The Honda Racing Corporation has dropped the ball massively at the start of F1’s new powertrain regulatory era, having been handicapped by Honda Corporate who decided in 2021 they would be leaving F1.
Newey visits Honda in Sakura
With Red Bull then going it alone and building their own power unit (PU) for 2026, Honda decided to return to the sport in 2023 announcing a works team partnership with Aston Martin. Despite having some two and a half years to design and build their all new F1 PU a visit from Aston Martin’s technical guru, Adrian Newey along with Andy Cowell – then the team principal – they discovered on a visit to Sakura to their shock, their engine partner remained under staffed with just two months to go before the cars hit there track in January.
With Alarm bells ringing, Cowell resigned his role as team principal to work exclusively with Honda given his previous experience in project managing the all conquering 2014 Mercedes hybrid F1 PU Newey then stepped into the role as team boss, although doubts were expressed up and down the paddock whether he would do justice to the role.
Aston Martin were late to the Barcelona shakedown, only managing a few laps on day four of five by the time their car was assembled. It was not a good debut for…CONTINUE READING THIS STORY
A Brazilian motorsport writer with a background in sports journalism and broadcast reporting, Treze brings cultural insight and on-the-ground knowledge of South American racing. With credentials in communications and journalism, Treze connects today’s Formula 1 with the enduring legacy of Ayrton Senna.
