Red Bull F1 exodus continues as yet another key figure announces departure

Red Bull

Red Bull F1 exodus continues as yet another key figure announces departure

Hedworth officially announced the news on her Linkedin page

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Thursday 23 April 2026 09:22

The exodus of big names from Red Bull has been one of the stories of the F1 year and now we have another key name announcing their departure.

Some two months on from the news initially breaking, Senior Communications Manager Alice Hedworth has officially confirmed her exit from the team.

Multiple outlets reported that Hedworth was leaving the team just ahead of the 2026 season, at that moment the latest in a slew of exits which now includes Christian Horner, Adrian Newey, Helmut Marko, Jonathan Wheatley and Gianpiero Lambiase among others.

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A staple of paddock coverage and Netflix show Drive to Survive, regularly seen alongside the likes of Sergio Perez and Laurent Mekies, Hedworth has now officially confirmed her exit in a Linkedin post.

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Hedworth confirms Red Bull exit

“My Linkedin is probably due an update... after four and a half incredible years of hard work, challenges and championships, I left Red Bull Racing ahead of the 2026 F1 season,” wrote Hedworth.

“It's been a journey that saw us grow the Communications offering from something very small, to a world leading, strategic execution of PR and Comms in motorsport - ultimately marketing the brand of Red Bull Racing way beyond the track.

“The Team became the lead voice for F1 in the USA and LATAM regions, as we shifted our media approach to focus on more social led, lifestyle, culture and entertainment outlets, growing engagement with a younger, more female focussed audience.

“From clothing collaborations in the USA to millions of views acquired by people who would never have consumed F1. We collaborated with YouTubers, achieved global front covers, became the first F1 team to work with Apple TV and took over the Drew Barrymore show for a Red Bull special - throw in some crisis comms, commercial and corporate too, there are simply too many highlights to choose from!”

Prior to that successful run at Red Bull, Hedworth had worked for a number of major brands in the sports space. Per Linkedin, she began her career as a summer intern for Al Jazeera at the London 2012 Olympic Games and later filled roles for IMG, BBC, ITV, Sky and Rangers Football Club.

Hedworth says she is now looking forward to continuing that Red Bull success in a new role, adding: "I am immensely proud of what I have achieved at Red Bull Racing and the level to which I’ve honed my craft. Now it's time to take my career to the next level and bring my skillset and expertise to a new and exciting challenge in sport communications and brand strategy."

Will Max Verstappen be the next big Red Bull exit?

Red Bull are currently going through a huge era of change with all of those big names leaving the team. The next big chip to fall will be decided by whether superstar driver Max Verstappen decides to stay with the team or not.

Verstappen is currently out of love with the new 2026 regulations which have swept into the sport, and he currently sits only ninth in the championship standings. He reportedly has an exit clause in his current deal which could become active this summer.

Many experts feel an exit for the Dutchman (or retirement) is even more likely after the departure of his closest remaining ally Lambiase was announced two weeks ago. He will leave for McLaren to become Chief Racing Officer, not later than 2028.

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