Formula 1 is a sport where personal and professional relationships play a fundamental role. This became evident after the Red Bull team announced a significant change in its structure, confirming that Hugh Bird, Sergio Pérez's race engineer for the past four years, will no longer hold this position for the 2025 season.
Bird's departure, who was a key figure in Pérez's team, marks the end of an era at Red Bull. The British engineer faced criticism in recent months, especially from the Mexican fans, who pointed to him as one of the responsible parties for the performance issues of the Guadalajara driver.
"I think it’s tough for people to judge from the outside when about one percent knows what he really does," said Christian Horner, Red Bull team principal, at the Mexican Grand Prix, defending Bird's work.
Despite Horner's backing, Red Bull decided to make this change. Liam Lawson's new race engineer, Pérez's replacement, will be Richard Wood, known as "Woody" in the paddock. Wood has been with the team since 2012 in various roles and is considered one of the most promising talents within the team.
Bird’s exit raised various questions about the future of both professionals. On one hand, the British engineer will return to the team's factory, while Wood will have the opportunity to prove his worth in front of a team that aspires to the highest honors in Formula 1. Sergio Pérez's fans will be attentive to the results of Liam Lawson and his new engineer.
