HANNAH SCHMITZ Gets Turn Named After Her at Australian GP for F1 Strategy Work

February 28, 2026

• Red Bull’s principal strategy engineer HANNAH SCHMITZ is getting a corner named after her at the Australian Grand Prix – Turn 6 at Albert Park will honor both her and LAURA MUELLER, F1’s first full-time female race engineer. It’s about time we started recognizing the women making split-second decisions that win races, like when Schmitz’s last-minute tire call helped Verstappen carve through the field from 10th to victory at Hungary 2022.
• While Red Bull dodged questions about their messy management upheaval (Christian Horner’s firing, Adrian Newey’s departure), SCHMITZ focused on what matters – the trust she’s built with Verstappen over years of strategic collaboration. She credits her problem-solving mindset to childhood games like Cluedo and chess, plus a family tradition of women who ignore anyone telling them what jobs are “appropriate.”
• SCHMITZ acknowledges the brutal reality facing any future female F1 driver – the extra pressure that comes with being the only woman in the room. But she’s encouraged by initiatives like F1 Academy creating more racing opportunities, believing motorsport should be a place where “gender shouldn’t really impact your ability.” Her grandmother Jackie’s story of fighting to stay in school instead of working in cotton mills clearly runs in the family.

albert park, australian grand prix, formula 1, oracle red bull racing