Max Verstappen states that he was already aware of the departure of Lee Stevenson at the end of last season, who announced on Instagram last week that he was leaving Red Bull Racing. According to the World Cup leader, the mechanic’s departure has little influence on the daily affairs of the Austrian team and Verstappen explains why.
Stevenson has worked at Red Bull for the past eighteen seasons, but that came to an end last week. In a video on Instagram, he thanked his now former employer for the wonderful years and immediately stated that his departure from Red Bull would not be a farewell to the sport. Stevenson stated that he would start working ‘on the other side of the pit lane’ from this week and hinted at a switch to Stake, which will become Audi in 2026.
Stevenson’s departure has been known to Verstappen for some time
Stevenson’s departure was subsequently labeled as a major loss for Red Bull, but Verstappen tells Motorsport.com that this is not too bad. The Briton had not been the Dutchman’s first mechanic for some time. “He actually hasn’t been that way since the end of 2020,” Verstappen clarifies. ‘At the end of 2020 he already took on a slightly different role. First he worked from the factory for one or two years and then half-and-half as a chief mechanic with another mechanic.’
In addition, it was no surprise to Verstappen that Stevenson closed the Red Bull door behind him after the Australian Grand Prix. “I already knew this about the departure last year, at the end of the season,” says Verstappen. “I knew it was going to happen and the team was well prepared for that,” the three-time world champion refers to the fact that Red Bull has already accommodated Stevenson’s departure.
