News summary

Red Bull announced on Tuesday (September 1) that Tom McCullough will become its new head of race operations from the 2027 Formula 1 season. The Briton, who currently serves as Aston Martin’s performance director, had already been tipped as Gianpiero Lambiase’s successor at Milton Keynes after the engineer signed with McLaren for 2028.

McCullough joined Force India at the beginning of 2014 and is one of the remaining members from the period surrounding the team’s sale to the consortium led by Lawrence Stroll in 2018. Following the administrative restructuring led by Andy Cowell in recent years, the Briton also worked on expanding Aston Martin Performance Technologies, the team’s consultancy and engineering division, into other motorsport categories.

Now, however, McCullough is preparing to move to Red Bull for the 2027 season, while Jonathan Wheatley, the former Audi team principal, is preparing to replace him at Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll’s team. GRANDE PRÊMIO previously reported on Wheatley’s expected departure from Aston Martin at the end of the 2026 season.

At Milton Keynes, McCullough will take on the role of head of race operations, one of the responsibilities currently carried out by Lambiase. The engineer, who has worked closely with Max Verstappen, is set to join McLaren in 2028.

It is important to note that the other key “GP” role at the Red Bull team — Verstappen’s race engineer — will be taken by Tom Hart. Hart reversed his decision to move to Williams in order to remain at Red Bull and work alongside the four-time World Champion.

As a result, McCullough will be responsible for all trackside operational matters and the coordination of engineers during race weekends. The Briton also becomes one of the faces of Red Bull’s restructuring process in F1, which recently included the arrival of Gwen Lagrue, formerly of Mercedes, as director of the driver academy.

“We are delighted to welcome Tom to the team at the start of 2027 and look forward to benefiting from all the experience and knowledge he will bring to the role,” Red Bull said in a brief statement.

Gianpiero Lambiase has signed to become McLaren’s racing director (Photo: Red Bull Content Pool)

McCullough’s appointment is another significant move in Red Bull’s preparations for the 2027 Formula 1 regulations, which will introduce a major technical overhaul, including new power-unit regulations and revised aerodynamic concepts.

The move also further reshapes the team’s leadership structure following the departure of several senior figures in recent years. Red Bull is therefore entering a new era both technically and operationally, with McCullough set to play a central role in its trackside operations from 2027.

For more coverage of Red Bull’s restructuring and the latest developments ahead of the 2027 regulations, follow the F1 section of GRANDE PRÊMIO.

The 2026 Formula 1 season continues this weekend, from September 4 to 6, at Monza. GRANDE PRÊMIO will cover all the action from the Italian GP, the 13th round of the 2026 season. For the complete timetable, check the full Italian GP 2026 schedule and session times at Monza.

FAQ

1. Who will replace Gianpiero Lambiase at Red Bull?
Tom McCullough will take over as Red Bull’s head of race operations from 2027, replacing Lambiase in the operational role he currently performs.

2. What is Tom McCullough’s current role at Aston Martin?
McCullough currently serves as Aston Martin’s performance director, having joined the organization back in its Force India days in 2014.

3. Who will be Max Verstappen’s race engineer at Red Bull in 2027?
Tom Hart will become Verstappen’s race engineer. He reversed his decision to leave Red Bull for Williams in order to continue working with the four-time World Champion.