Red Bull has ruled out trying to sign former Mercedes engine chief Andy Cowell to their new Powertrains division.
Last year, Cowell stepped down as managing director at the German manufacturer’s High Performance Powertrains arm in Brixworth after seven years in the role.
Naturally, with Red Bull taking the production of their current Honda engines in-house from next year and showing interest in building F1’s new power unit from 2025, Cowell would be a major asset for the new company.
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But asked about the possibility of pursuing him, Red Bull boss Christian Horner quickly played it down.
“What he’s achieved obviously in the recent 10 years of the sport has been mightily impressive, and he was obviously a lynchpin of what Mercedes and HPP have delivered,” he told the media recently.
“But I think he’s obviously chosen to pursue, I think, other activities outside of Formula 1.
“Of course, as far as engines are concerned, he’s been the guy that has delivered year on year, but my understanding is that his interests currently lay outside of Formula 1.”
Horner though did confirm Red Bull would be looking to fill key roles in their new Powertrains company.
“Obviously we will inherit the vast majority of HRD UK, which is the operational side of Honda, based in Milton Keynes,” he said.
“So that gives us a standing start, in that already all the people we already know and interface with, we’ll look to take under the new company.
“Then we are in the process of setting out some of the other roles that will be filled in the next coming weeks and months. But I think the agreement we’ve achieved with Honda just buys us time to assemble the right group of people.”
