Max Verstappen set for new number one mechanic as Red Bull garage twins split

Red Bull’s twin brothers and number one mechanics will split up for F1 2026, with Max Verstappen set for a new number one as Audi has secured the services of Matt Caller.

Caller and his twin brother Jon have each worked as number one mechanics at Red Bull in recent years, with Matt Caller assigned to Verstappen’s car for the past three seasons.

Matt Caller to join Audi for F1 2026 season

Caller has been Max Verstappen’s number one mechanic since the start of 2023, moving across from working on Sergio Perez’s car during 2022. This move was made following the promotion of Chris Gent to the position of chief mechanic.

Caller joined Red Bull 10 years ago, having stepped up into Formula 1 after spending three years at Carlin.

He will depart Red Bull at the conclusion of this season and is set to join Audi ahead of its inaugural campaign after completing a full takeover of the Sauber outfit.

His exact role within the Audi organisation is yet to be confirmed, but PlanetF1.com understands he is set to take up the role of chief mechanic – a role with increased responsibility from his current role as a number one mechanic.

This move would see him step into the shoes of former Red Bull colleague Lee Stevenson, who is understood to be moving into a more senior role at Audi, creating the chief mechanic vacancy into which Caller is moving.

An Audi spokesperson told PlanetF1.com that individual appointments would not be commented on, and that “the Audi F1 project is growing and our ambition is to keep bringing in talent in every area”.

Caller’s twin brother, Jon, will remain at Red Bull, where he presently serves as the number one mechanic on the second car, currently Yuki Tsunoda’s.

A likely scenario is that Caller will thus be replaced by his twin brother Jon on Verstappen’s side of the garage, with the team then backfilling this position on the second car – Red Bull currently has a job vacancy for a number one mechanic advertised across industry-specific websites.

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In late 2024, the unique nature of the Caller twins’ professional lives as opposite numbers on the two sides of the Red Bull garage was addressed in a piece in the UK’s Guardian, in which Caller said, “We just enjoy racing, competitive sport, whatever it might be.

“It’s always been competitive, but it’s a nice competition rather than an aggressive one. If I see Jon winning a race or a pole position, I am proud because it’s really nice to see him excelling.

“The first time I thought this is a bit mad was the start of [2024], which was Jon’s first race as number one on Checo’s car and my first on Max’s as number one.

“As we were sending the cars to the grid, we were looking at each other and it was like: ‘This is odd, isn’t it? We’ve made it.’”

Caller’s move not only reunites him with Stevenson but would also see the pair resume working with former Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, who took up the role of team principal at Sauber this year, having departed Milton Keynes in favour of a more senior position at another squad.

Having worked at Red Bull for a decade, Caller has witnessed first-hand the “meteoric rise” of Verstappen, praising the four-time F1 World Champion for his work ethic and talents.

“It’s been a privilege to work with him,” he said.

“He’s a great guy, ridiculously fast and ridiculously talented. No nonsense and very easy to get on with. Max is that talented that he can get in pretty much anything and it will go fast.

“With Max, you see it every weekend for the most part, especially at circuits we have never been to before, he will just go out and be at absolute race pace straight off the bat, lap one, practice one, he will be there straight away.”

Caller’s move comes during a period of bolstering of staff at Hinwil ahead of Audi’s maiden season next year, which is led by Wheatley and chief operating and technical officer Mattia Binotto, former team boss of Ferrari.

Under Binotto and Wheatley, Audi has also recently secured the services of Wolf Zimmerman and Lars Schmidt, senior personnel from the 2026 Ferrari power unit project.

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