Key figure departs Max Verstappen Red Bull circle ahead of Japanese GP

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen will be racing without his chief mechanic from now on, with Lee Stevenson moving on from Red Bull.

Max Verstappen’s chief mechanic Lee Stevenson has called time on his career with Red Bull, leaving the Milton Keynes-based squad after 18 years.

Lee Stevenson departs Red Bull

Stevenson joined Red Bull in 2006, working as a number two mechanic until 2014 when he was promoted to a number one mechanic. He became Max Verstappen’s chief race mechanic at the start of 2023, having worked closely alongside the Dutch driver as part of his crew ever since Verstappen was promoted to Red Bull in 2016.

But Stevenson is moving on to pastures new, with a job with a team at “the other end of the pit lane” that will involve him moving to Japan. Stevenson’s departure from Red Bull was agreed during the 2023 season.

Taking to Instagram, Stevenson confirmed his departure with a farewell message from Red Bull’s MK-7 facility in Milton Keynes, in which he stood alongside all the cars he’s worked on over his years with the team.

“I just thought I’d hop on here, just to let you all know that you won’t be seeing any more posts from me from Red Bull because today’s my last day!” he said.

“It’s been an amazing 18 years and all the things that I’ve managed to achieve here with the team, it’s just been absolutely incredible.

“Working on the first car, the RB2, all the way through to the RB16B and obviously the RB19.

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“It has been an incredible journey. I just want to say thanks to everyone here. It’s been an amazing time that I’ve had here.

“In 2006, when I started, I never thought we’d win races, get poles, or win championships, but we’ve managed to do all of that and it’s just been amazing.

“So yeah, on to the next chapter. That chapter starts on Monday when I fly to Japan, and start work with my new team at the other end of the pit lane.

“It’s gonna be a massive challenge, but it’s one that I’m ready for!”

Stevenson’s last day with Red Bull was on March 28th, meaning that, unfortunately for him, he couldn’t sign off on his tenure with them with a victory as Verstappen retired from last weekend’s Australian Grand Prix with a rear brake issue on his RB20.

Stevenson’s successor as Red Bull’s chief mechanic hasn’t yet been publicly named.