It's only hours away from the first relevant session of the first Grand Prix of the season and alreay controversy is spiking up the off track narrative. It's time for F1 Today.

Schmitz was praised by Red Bull F1 advisor Helmut Marko as the right replacement following the announcement that the team's current strategy chief, Will Courtenay, had accepted an offer to move to McLaren.

A former key staff member at Red Bull will make his return to the sport weeks after the Australian Grand Prix, his new team have confirmed.