Ralf Schumacher on Red Bull’s declining form: “Pierre Wache is no Adrian Newey”

Six-time Formula 1 race winner Ralf Schumacher has criticised Red Bull’s current technical director Pierre Wache, saying he is no match for his predecessor Adrian Newey.

Red Bull has lost several key technical staff members to rival teams in recent years, with chief designer Rob Marshall, head of race strategy Will Courtenay and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley all departing the Milton Keynes outfit.

But perhaps the biggest setback for Red Bull has been the exit of its design guru Newey, who moved to Aston Martin in March after having been with the Milton Keynes squad since its early days in 2006.

The exodus of talent has coincided with a drop in form for Red Bull, which slumped to third in the constructors’ championship last year and has once again failed to produce a car that is both fast and easy to drive.

Following the loss of Newey, Wheatley and the rest, Red Bull largely promoted talent from within, with Wache assuming overall responsibility of the RB21.

Schumacher believes Red Bull is starting to see the effects of Newey’s absence, as he pointed the finger at Wache for its current struggles.

"In my opinion, Pierre Wache is simply no Adrian Newey. Accordingly, it will be difficult,” the German told Sky Germany.

Schumacher believes Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is at the root of Red Bull’s troubles, adding that the Briton should have never let a person as talented as Newey slip away from the team’s grasp.

"He built up the entire team and, together with Dr. [Helmut] Marko, was responsible,” said Schumacher.

“He should have seen it. And he should never have lost Adrian Newey."

Horner was at the centre of a texting scandal for much of 2024, with a female employee accusing him of inappropriate behaviour.

Horner was eventually cleared of all allegations after an investigation, but the whole saga threatened to tear the team apart.

Schumacher referred to a "classic management problem" at Red Bull, explaining: "When I think ‘things are going as they are and I don't need him’, that's when it all starts. I think Christian Horner has outgrown himself, and now he's faced with a dilemma.

"With him, you always get the feeling that he wants to stay afloat in the team and takes things very seriously. And whether that's always a good thing, I don't know."

Max Verstappen sits third in the drivers’ standings heading into this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix, 12 points behind McLaren rival Oscar Piastri.

Red Bull already faces a 99-point deficit to McLaren in the constructors' championship, having scored just 89 points in the opening five rounds of the season. It also trails second-placed Mercedes by 22 points.