Pierre Wache praised after Red Bull turnaround following Adrian Newey exit

Senior Red Bull figures Pierre Wache and Christian Horner on the pitwall — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Under-pressure Red Bull chief delivers stunning post-Newey response

Wache is off the hotseat and onto the throne at Red Bull

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Wednesday 7 October 2026 07:27

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Max Verstappen's brilliant victory in Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix was significant for many reasons.

It gave the 29-year-old Dutchman his first victory of 2026, vindicating his decision to ignore 'greener pastures' and commit his long-term future to the team.

It also gave the Red Bull Powertrains project its first Grand Prix victory as an F1 engine supplier.

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But perhaps just as importantly it was a massive shot in the arm for the team's embattled technical director Pierre Wache.

Earlier this season the 51-year-old Frenchman had been under the spotlight for the wrong reasons, with some experts questioning whether he was the right man to deliver the car that Verstappen and the team demand.

Remember this is an RB22 car which Verstappen on many occasions described as "undriveable" in some recent races - hardly a vote of confidence for the man heading up its design and production.

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Wache and Red Bull are BACK

If Wache was on the hotseat at Red Bull, things have now changed very quickly on the back of two extremely impressive races in successive weekends.

First Verstappen pushed Mercedes star George Russell all the way to the line in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix while team-mate Isack Hadjar was behind him in third. Red Bull's first double podium since 2024.

Then on Sunday Verstappen went one better with a peerless performance to reign in the rain at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.

Verstappen was a brilliant winner for Red Bull at Sepang.

Windsor is a Wache believer again

Afterwards most of the talk was predictably about Verstappen's terrific drive, and the Powertrains project set in motion by former team principal Christian Horner.

One man who delved deeper to analyse what happened in Malaysia was former F1 team manager and current analyst Peter Windsor. He openly admits he was one of the Wache doubters earlier in 2026.

He told Cameron Cc on YouTube: "I think their building blocks are now really starting to expand and develop and give them a really solid foundation for 2027. I think that's how we should look at it."And if there were a few months when a lot of us including myself - I have to put my hand up - were wondering about Pierre and how good a job he could do now post-Adrian [Newey] and the team he could put together around him."I'm nothing but impressed by him - I think he's done an absolutely stunning job, and congratulations. I think this win was about Pierre asserting himself - not asserting himself but just making sure he was there at Red Bull with this whole new future with Max."

Red Bull hailed for backing technical chief

Windsor also praised Red Bull and team principal Laurent Mekies for backing Wache through the tough times and on towards a bright new era for 2027 and beyond."I think a lot of it is that he's a very very sharp and clever guy. And full marks to him, full marks to Red Bull and obviously to Laurent Mekies for backing him and making it happen."And I guess you can say he's an Adrian [Newey] guy at the end of the day so Adrian won't be surprised I suppose."

Red Bull closing in on McLaren in Constructors' standings

On the back of those two terrific weekends in Baku and Sepang, Red Bull are rocketing up the 2026 Constructors' standings.

Mekies, Wache, Verstappena and co now trail third-placed McLaren by just 18 points with the momentum all in their favour heading to the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend.

Written by

Graham Shaw - Consultant Editor

Digital sports leader with 30 years of senior level experience running global brands. Built sportinglife.com to be a behemoth in the UK as well as being in charge of the Planet Sport network of sites including planetf1.com, football365.com, teamtalk.com and planetrugby.com. Then grew goal.com to be the world's biggest soccer website in 18 languages and 37 territories. Was GM of Portals for Perform Group (now DAZN) with overall responsibility for sportingnews.com, spox.de and voetbalzone.nl.

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F1 Red Bull Pierre Wache