Ole Schack ended his tenure as a senior mechanic with Red Bull Racing at the São Paulo Grand Prix, wrapping up more than twenty years of service that began during the team’s Jaguar era.
The 48-year-old Danish mechanic was present for 226 of the 230 Grands Prix that Max Verstappen has contested with the Milton Keynes squad, according to F1maximaal. Schack worked alongside drivers from David Coulthard during Red Bull’s debut race in 2005 to fastening Verstappen’s belts in later championship seasons, as reported by Headliner. He decided to leave the pit lane to spend more time with his family, RacingNews365 reported.
Reflecting on Verstappen’s evolution since his arrival at the team in 2016, Schack noted that the four-time world champion has grown faster and more mature while retaining his core traits. “He is in feite nog dezelfde gast als tien jaar geleden. Altijd eerlijk, zoals hij ook met de media praat,” Schack told De Telegraaf, drawing a comparison between Verstappen and football stars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Verstappen's Crash at Hungaroring Requires Repairs
Among the hundreds of races Schack experienced, the 2020 Hungarian Grand Prix stands out as a defining moment for the Red Bull garage. Verstappen qualified seventh on the Hungaroring grid, but crashed his RB16 at turn twelve during a wet reconnaissance lap on race day, breaking his front-left suspension.
Mechanics faced a twenty-minute window on the starting grid to execute a complex overhaul before the lights went out. “Je verwacht natuurlijk niet dat je coureur in de bandenstapels beland op weg naar de grid, maar hij was gewoon bezig met zijn versnellingsbakafstellingen en ging de muur in,” Schack recalled to Viaplay. “De twintig minuten die we hadden om de reparaties uit te voeren, gingen snel voorbij.”
Despite the tight deadline, the mechanics worked methodically without panic. “Iedereen wist welke taak hij had. Ik wist: ‘We hebben die voorkant zo vaak in en uit elkaar geschroefd, dit kunnen we zo doen,’” Schack said. Verstappen recovered from the seventh-place start to finish second behind Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, who expressed surprise upon learning the damaged Red Bull had made the start.
Farewell Gifts and Tributes in Brazil
Red Bull honored Schack’s long service during the São Paulo Grand Prix weekend by gathering the entire garage for a farewell presentation. Red Bull ambassador David Coulthard discussed the send-off in the team’s Talking Bull podcast, noting that Schack formed part of the team’s fixtures since the Jaguar days.
Colleagues presented Schack with a specially crafted Red Bull can inscribed with statistics from his two decades with the outfit. Verstappen added his own tribute by gifting the veteran mechanic one of his race helmets.
Max gaf hem een racehelm en dat is toch wel het mooiste wat een autocoureur aan iemand kan schenken, stelt Nicholas. “Ik zag dat hij geëmotioneerd raakte, en ik begrijp volkomen waarom,” said Nicholas, ambassadeur.
Next Steps for the Red Bull Garage
With Schack stepping away to focus on family life, the Red Bull Racing mechanics prepare for the next round of the Formula 1 World Championship, carrying forward the pit lane atmosphere the departing Danish mechanic helped build over twenty years.
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