If Max Verstappen clinches an incredible Formula 1 title victory in Abu Dhabi, it won’t be solely due to his exceptional driving skills. Behind the scenes, Hannah Schmitz, Red Bull’s 40-year-old Chief Strategy Officer, plays a pivotal role in maximizing the potential of the talented Dutch driver.

Schmitz, a strategic mastermind from the UK, was instrumental in orchestrating Verstappen’s thrilling and controversial championship win over Lewis Hamilton during the 2021 season finale. Her quick thinking and tactical brilliance have earned her the reputation of being Verstappen’s ‘secret weapon,’ as highlighted by Dutch media outlet HLN.

Known as Hannah McMillan before her marriage in 2017, Schmitz has rapidly ascended the ranks within Red Bull, showcasing her extraordinary strategic acumen. Her journey began in 2009 when she joined the team, initially working with Red Bull’s simulator—a crucial tool for drivers and teams to prepare and simulate various race scenarios.

The mother of two is described by Dutch outlet HLN as his ‘secret weapon’ and the mastermind, who was Hannah McMillan before her marriage in 2017, rose to the top with remarkable speed. 

Schmitz started off working on Red Bull’s simulator in 2009 – the device drivers and teams use to practice and run through various scenarios before a race. 

Max Verstappen (left) celebrates his win on the podium with Red Bull Chief Strategy Officer Hannah Schmitz (right)

Hannah (second from left) is pictured with friends and her husband Markus (left) on a night out

With a Masters degree in engineering from Cambridge behind her, she then was promoted to race strategist within two years of working for the constructor and then elevated to her current position in 2021. 

Former Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner was quick to sing Schmitz’s praises last year and not that other teams would be sniffing around her if she had not risen through the ranks. 

Now she’s the one calling the shots and HLN report that ‘it was recently calculated that her reaction time to make huge decision is within two to four seconds’ when race control deploys the safety car.

There are plenty of examples of Schmitz’s quick thinking elevating Verstappen into winning positions. 

At the weekend in Qatar, Schmitz herself was sent to the podium to lift the trophy, such was the value of her intervention in the race. 

She described the decision to bring Verstappen in for the first of two tyre changes during a safety car on lap seven as a ‘no brainer’. 

McLaren chose not to pit Piastri and Norris in a blunder that saw Schmitz, Red Bull and Verstappen seize an advantage that they would not relinquish. 

‘I hope I can be an example for women,’ Schmitz previously said, adding that F1 can be ‘quite a man’s world’. 

Her technical and tactical detail and fastidious preparations for races are ensuring Red Bull have clung onto the coattails of McLaren in an inferior car this season. 

Schmitz wants to make an impact as a woman in what she calls ‘a bit of a man’s world’

Schmitz was pushed to go on the podium alongside Verstappen, Oscar Piastri (left) and Carlos Sainz (right) after her key role in the win in Qatar

‘Every possible scenario is planned in advance, down to the last detail,’ she said on the team podcast. 

‘That’s how I am in my private life too: when we go on a trip, everything is meticulously prepared in advance, and the suitcase is packed long before we even leave the house.’ 

Even though Schmitz runs through thousands of scenarios on her computer before races, plans can often be thrown out the window in the chaos and unpredictability of the live event.  

‘The secret to adapting quickly is not to fixate on what you’ve planned beforehand. Always be open to adjustments,’ she explained. 

Making those sharp, race-defining decisions can cause extremely high stress but there is a trick she uses in the heat of battle to remain cold. 

Schmitz has shown on many occasions that she can elevate the team to new heights

Schmitz places both hands on the table in front of her – a device given to her by a mental coach she employed to brush up on her skills. 

‘It’s incredible how that allows you to let everything sink in and calm down,’ she said. ‘And then, above all, you radiate confidence.’ 

The track record of Schmitz’s contributions to race wins is indisputable. 

In 2019 an unexpected tyre change in Brazil that raised eyebrows at the time was then hailed as a masterstroke that helped Verstappen win. 

The Dutchman started the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix in 10th but caught Ferrari off guard with an early stop and soft tyre change that made the difference in the closing stages and saw him claim a brilliant win. 

Verstappen benefits from Schmitz’s rapid decision making, which is faster than other teams

Will champagne be flowing again for Red Bull in Abu Dhabi as the F1 season comes to a climax?

And of course, capitalising on Mercedes’ hesitation in the thrilling climax of the 2021 season in Abu Dhabi was a deciding factor in arguably the most exciting moment in F1 history.

Hamilton was kept on track too long to change, while Verstappen pitted as soon as possible during a safety car, with Schmitz working out he could still pass the field and have enough time to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, as he did in such dramatic fashion. 

Schmitz, Verstappen and Red Bull return to the scene of that final day, final lap comeback this weekend. 

Piastri and Norris will be looking nervously over their shoulder and if Verstappen can pull off another miracle, it will also have been of Schmitz’s creation.