The Red Bull Racing team is undergoing changes ahead of the start of the 2025 Formula 1 season, as Hugh Bird, the engineer who worked with driver 'Checo' Pérez, has been replaced. Bird, known as 'Pajarote', had been alongside the Mexican driver since 2021 during the four years Pérez was paired with Max Verstappen, a four-time world champion.
The alleged connection between Hugh Bird and Pérez's poor performance was a subject of criticism, leading to his replacement by New Zealander Liam Lawson for the upcoming season. Richard Wood is the engineer who will take Bird's place and who has already accompanied Liam Lawson since his first race with the Red Bull Racing team. Wood, who previously was an analyst on the strategy team, became a race support engineer and has worked in the simulator with Verstappen and Pérez.
Christian Horner, head of Red Bull, defended Hugh Bird, highlighting his work as a race engineer and calling the criticisms against him unfair. Horner emphasized that Bird had done a great job and that many of those who criticize him do not have access to all the facts he has to deal with.
The 2025 Formula 1 season is about to begin, with changes in the F1 driver lineup. Exciting races are expected on various circuits around the world, with uncertainty about who will be crowned drivers' champion and which team will take the constructors' championship. The season will kick off on Friday, March 14, with the race at Albert Park, the venue for the Australian Grand Prix.
In summary, despite the replacement of Hugh Bird, he is considered a very talented engineer and an important part of the Red Bull Racing team.
