The 40-year-old, a Red Bull veteran since 2005, had been head of race strategy for 15 years and was widely regarded as one of Formula 1’s most influential tactical minds.
Courtenay’s move had been expected to occur midway through 2026, but an agreement between the teams has allowed him to join McLaren months earlier.
“I am pleased to announce that I will be taking up a new position as sporting director at McLaren Racing,” Courtenay said in a LinkedIn post.
“After 22 years at Red Bull Racing, including the last 15 as head of race strategy, I am delighted to say that I am now taking on a new challenge and joining the McLaren Formula One team as sporting director.
“I want to say a huge thank you to everyone I worked with at Red Bull. I made so many great friends there, and I hope I will see many of you in the paddock many more times. It was two incredible decades.
“But now I look forward to settling into my new position and team and hopefully making many more new friends, while doing my utmost to help McLaren continue its recent success in the years to come.”
Courtenay’s move represents a significant gain for McLaren, giving the Woking-based outfit access to insights gained over a decade and a half of Red Bull dominance under Adrian Newey’s aerodynamic leadership.
He will report to racing director Randeep Singh, joining the team ahead of a critical phase for the new regulations set to shape the 2026 season.
When Courtenay was initially announced as joining the team in 2024, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said that he was perfectly suited to the role.
“Will’s experience, professionalism, and passion for motorsport make him the ideal candidate to lead our sporting function,” he said.
“We are now entering a key phase in our journey as a team, and we are confident that he will be a great addition to our strong leadership team as we strive to continue challenging for wins and championships.”
Courtenay’s initial announcement came amid a series of high-profile departures from Red Bull, including Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley, and has since been joined by both Christian Horner and Helmut Marko leaving the Austrian squad.
Marko, who at the time of Courtenay’s departure announcement was still serving as advisor to the team, described the move as a “natural progression,” noting that Courtenay’s decision was influenced by the more attractive offer from McLaren.
Since joining Red Bull as a strategy engineer in 2005, Courtenay steadily climbed the ranks, becoming head of race strategy in 2010 and helping shape the team’s tactical approach during its dominant periods in the early 2010s and 2020s.
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