Red Bull expects to lure 50 away from Mercedes HPP

According to a report, Red Bull expects to poach 50 Mercedes employees for their new drive division after the recruitment campaign is over.

With Honda pulling out of Formula 1 at the end of 2021, Red Bull Powertrains was born to take over the Japanese manufacturer’s job and ensure that Red Bull doesn’t have to return as a customer team.

The autograph session is already in full swing and one of the most important topics of conversation was Red Bull’s contact with the nearby Mercedes Brixworth engine depot.

Six Mercedes employees have already left the ship, the best-known being Ben Hodgkinson, who will give up his position as technical director at Mercedes High Performance Powertrains to become the first technical director of Red Bull Powertrain.

Auto Motor und Sport reports that six more employees were poached from Mercedes to join forces with Red Bull, whose team boss Christian Horner “expects an increase to 50 by the end of the recruitment process”.

The report adds that among those jumping ships, the senior engineer will be under former Mercedes engine operations manager Andy Cowell.

Horner was recently asked about rumors that Cowell himself would be returning to Formula 1 with Red Bull’s new engine division.

Cowell led the design of the Mercedes V6 turbo hybrid engine introduced in 2014, which has since led the team to seven driver and designer doubles in a row.

But at the Monaco Grand Prix, Horner said Cowell won’t join Red Bull, while Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said his regular conversations with Cowell hadn’t given any indication that he was interested in such a career change either.

Red Bull merchandise is now available from the official Formula 1 store

“Of course there is a lot of media coverage on these issues and with staff apparently joining this new company,” Horner told reporters.

“But I can say I was surprised this morning to read a story where Andy apparently agreed to join us because it didn’t.”

“That would be a great surprise,” replied Wolff.

“Because it would mean that it is different from what we discussed. But nothing prevents him from making a decision as to whether to continue his entrepreneurial path or return to Formula 1 in another role.

“I talk to Andy about different things every week and it doesn’t look like he’s going to Red Bull to me. But we’ve seen a lot of black swans in this sport, so what am I thinking at the moment? He’s not going there. “

Follow us on Twitter @ Planet_F1, like our Facebook page and visit us on Instagram!