Red Bull have recruited experienced Formula 1 engineer Tom McCullough to become the team’s head of racing from the start of the 2027 season.
The 50-year-old Briton will take over responsibilities currently associated with Gianpiero Lambiase, who is due to leave Red Bull for McLaren and become the Woking team’s chief racing officer by 2028.
McCullough will oversee the operational side of Red Bull’s race team under team principal Laurent Mekies, giving him a central role in how the squad functions across Grand Prix weekends.
He arrives with extensive experience across several Formula 1 organisations. McCullough spent more than a decade with the team now competing as Aston Martin, having remained with the operation through its Force India and Racing Point eras. Earlier in his career, he also held positions at Williams and Sauber.
His most recent period at Aston Martin changed significantly in January 2025, when a wider management restructure moved him away from the Formula 1 race operation and into the company’s performance technologies division.
Red Bull’s decision to bring him back into a front-line F1 role adds another major leadership change to the team as it prepares for the coming seasons.
Lambiase’s eventual departure is particularly significant because of his long-standing role as Max Verstappen’s race engineer. The pair have developed one of the most recognisable working relationships in Formula 1, with their concise and sometimes tense radio exchanges becoming a familiar feature of Red Bull race weekends.
McCullough’s appointment could also influence discussions between Red Bull and McLaren over the timing of Lambiase’s move. His current departure date has not been confirmed beyond the expectation that he will join McLaren no later than 2028, leaving open the possibility of an earlier release if the two teams reach an agreement.
McCullough is scheduled to officially begin his new position with Red Bull at the start of 2027.