Red Bull dealt major F1 2026 blow with shock resignation

Red Bull’s preparations for the looming 2026 Formula 1 season has been dealt a major blow, following the shock resignation of its chief designer.

Craig Skinner, who was appointed chief designer at Red Bull in 2022, has suddenly stepped down from his position on the eve of the 2026 F1 season.

He has reportedly decided to leave of his own accord after 20 years working for Red Bull.

Red Bull confirmed Skinner’s departure but as of yet has not announced its plans to replace him.

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

"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.”

Following spells with Jordan and Williams, Skinner joined Red Bull in 2006 as a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) engineer. He rose up the ranks to become group leader in 2009.

Skinner served as deputy head of aerodynamics and was later appointed chief aerodynamicist in 2018, before earning promotion to chief designer in 2022.

In this role, Skinner had a hand in the design of the RB19 that would go on to become the most successful F1 car in history, winning 21 of 22 races during the 2023 season.

Skinner’s departure was not expected and comes as a blow for the Red Bull team as it gears up for the second pre-season test in Bahrain, which takes place between 18-20 February.

He is the latest high-profile figure to exit Red Bull in recent years.

Could it impact Max Verstappen's future?

It is also a blow for star driver Max Verstappen, whose long-term F1 future is once again set to be a hot topic in the coming months.

Verstappen’s recent brutal criticism of the new cars in F1 comes after the four-time world champion previously indicated he could quit the world championship if he did not enjoy the 2026 generation.

“As a driver, the feeling is not very Formula 1-like. It feels a bit more like Formula E on steroids,” Verstappen said during the first week of pre-season testing in Bahrain.

"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. Maybe it's better to drive Formula E, right? Because that's all about energy efficiency and management. That's what they stand for. Driving-wise, it's not so fun."