Max Verstappen’s Race Control Engineer is reportedly pushing for a more senior role within the Red Bull Formula 1 team for 2025.
Michael Manning joined the Austrian team in 2011 and worked with former Red Bull racing driver Sebastian Vettel who dominated in the years between 2010-2013 – winning four world championships.
The Irishman has been a key member of Verstappen’s team at Red Bull since the Dutchman joined in 2016.
He has worked alongside Race Engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, Performance Engineer Tom Hart and Lead Trackside Power Unit Performance Engineer David Mart this season as the Dutchman claimed his fourth Drivers’ Championship.
Manning has been responsible for Verstappen’s race starts at the team, and in 2024 the 27-year-old only lost a position after the opening lap of a race once this season – in the Abu Dhabi finale where he collided with Oscar Piastri at the start.
But now, he could be set to leave Verstappen’s inner circle to occupy a more senior role.
Dutch publication De Telegraaf reported on Wednesday that he wishes to move into a position which allows him to not have to attend every race.
PlanetF1 claims that Manning could miss four races in the 2025 F1 season and will move into a more sporting position.
Red Bull restructure continues into 2025
Already this season, Red Bull has lost technical guru Adrian Newey to Aston Martin and strategy chief Will Courtenay to McLaren.
Jonathan Wheatley also left a huge position to be filled after he agreed to join the Audi F1 project as Team Principal and he will take on his role during the 2025 campaign.
Red Bull chief Christian Horner has already revealed that the team will promote from within to cover the positions left vacant.
In September, it was announced that Lambiase would be promoted to a new role for the F1 2025 season, taking on some of the responsibilities vacated by outgoing Sporting Director Wheatley.
GP will stay on as Verstappen’s race engineer but will assume overall responsibility for the team’s strategy group and sporting regulations operations.
Lambiase will be working under Technical Director Pierre Wache – who is contracted with the team until 2028.
Not only will Verstappen have a different look to his engineering team next season, but he will also have a new team-mate after Sergio Perez announced he was parting ways with the team – with Liam Lawson stepping up to the Red Bull seat.
Perez had been pivotal in helping Verstappen secure his first world title in 2021, but the Mexican driver will watch from the sidelines in 2025.
Lawson has had two spells with the Red Bull sister team and is now entrusted with being Verstappen’s sidekick for next season.
READ MORE: Sergio Perez and Red Bull part ways with immediate effect
