Red Bull to lose 'key figure' to McLaren - report

Oct.12 (GMM) Red Bull looks set to lose its aerodynamics boss to McLaren.

Amid the great British team's 2013 slump, McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh said in Korea a week ago that "some as-yet unannounced" recruitments "will be headline-grabbing".

The first headlines are indeed now emerging.

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport said Red Bull designer Adrian Newey's "right-hand man", Peter Prodromou, is heading to Woking.

Correspondent Michael Schmidt, however, clarified that it is for now just a rumour, but Prodromou knows McLaren well, having worked there until 2006.

Schmidt said Prodromou is "one of the leading engineers in formula one", with his impending move "a win for McLaren and a huge blow to Red Bull".

McLaren, however, may have to wait, as Prodromou's current contract runs until 2015.

When asked about Prodromou at Suzuka, Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko said: "He's not at Woking yet!"

Schmidt added: "The move would be remarkable, because it is the first time in a long time that Red Bull has lost one of its key figures."

He said one of the reasons Red Bull hangs onto staff is because of "good pay", but also because healthy championship bonuses are only paid in February of the following season.