McLaren's Prodromou signs with Red Bull

Just weeks after McLaren's former technical director Adrian Newey joined Red Bull Racing after agreeing a deal last year, the team have now reached an agreement for Prodromou to join them when his current contract expires.

Prodromou worked with Newey in helping create the new McLaren MP4-21 and his departure would serve as another blow to the team.

McLaren are also expected to lose vehicle project director Nicholas Tombazis when his contract ends later this year, with speculation suggesting that he could be on his way to back to his former team Ferrari.

The Italian team's technical director Ross Brawn was asked about Tombazis's return at the team launch on Tuesday, but the Briton declined to comment, stating only that Ferrari will continue to "strengthen the organisation."

McLaren have so far declined to comment on the news of Prodromou's departure, but only this week the team's CEO Martin Whitmarsh dismissed reports of further staff leaving McLaren following Newey's departure.

"Aside from Adrian [Newey], I don't recall any senior people or middle ranking people from engineering that are departing," Whitmarsh told a teleconference on Monday.

"I have seen the stories (about Prodromou and Tombazis), but we have not had the turnover of staff that I have seen commented on in the media."