Laurent Mekies: New Red Bull CEO and team principal says it ‘still feels unreal’ as he replaces Christian Horner | F1 News
The new director of the Red Bull team, Laurent Mekies, says that he “always feels unreal” to replace Christian Horner while he was talking for the first time since his landing.
Mekies, who ran Bulls Boss, is only the second director of the Red Bull team, because Horner had been in charge since they joined the grid in 2005, leading them to six drivers and eight manufacturers’ titles.
The Frenchman began his F1 career in the Arrows team in the early 2000s before spent in Minardi, which was bought by Red Bull in 2005 and renamed Toro Rosso.
He joined FIA as Director of Security in 2014 and deputy race director in 2017, then went to Ferrari in 2018 as a sports director, then deputy director of the team, before returning to the Red Bull family at the start of 2024 as team director at Racing Bulls.
Please use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Martin Brundle praised the impact that Christian Horner had as team director at Red Bull after the news of shock that he was relieved of his functions
“It is always unreal to be here and not to see it [Horner]”Said Mekies on a day of filming scheduled for Red Bull in Silverstone on Thursday.
“It would be impossible to underestimate the size of the realization that this team had less than 20 years of leadership of Christian.
Please use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
In the program F1, Ted Kravitz suggests that Jos and Max Verstappen won the power struggle to Red Bull against Christian Horner, who was dismissed as director of the team
“I met him 20 years ago when he was the youngest director of the F1 team and it is incredible to see how he turned this place at the level he is now.
“This trip, the many titles and victories. Christian is also the guy, with Helmut [Marko] and Oliver {Mintzlaff]who brought me back to the Red Bull family two years ago. All the first thoughts are with him today. “”
Laurent Mekies met his new Red Bull team in Silverstone Thursday on a scheduled shooting day using the 2025 car (Red Bull Content Pool)
Mekies: Red Bull does not underestimate the upcoming challenge
Since she dominated the 2023 season and the first stadiums of 2024, Red Bull was captured and exceeded by McLaren in the hierarchical order.
Max Verstappen still managed to win a fourth consecutive pilot championship last year, but is 69 points behind Oscar Piastri during this year’s reigning race.
Red Bull has had problems with their second seat in the past six years after Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and now Yuki Tsunoda have all widely struggled as Verstapun teammates.
Their car advantage in 2022 and 2023 noted that they won the manufacturer’s championship, but the deficit between Verstappen and its teammates caused major problems when they did not have the best car.
Red Bull also takes up the big challenge to create its own engine, with the help of Ford, for the change of regulation of next year, which Mekies mentioned in his first interview for the team.
“I look at this team like most outside look at them, we see the best people in the world in what they do,” he said.
“This is what this team is, even as a competitor before, you consider Red Bull Racing as the strongest team, having managed to accumulate the best talents to work together.
Please use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
After his dismissal after 20 years as director of the team, Christian Horner gave an emotional farewell to the staff of Red Bull and says that it was the greatest privilege of his life
“It is a privilege to join the team and the accent will be put on which all talented people here have what they need to play their best, because they are already the best.
“We will focus on this and we will make sure that the Red Bull energy crosses the team. We do not underestimate the challenge to come, we will need everyone and we will go together and I am sure that with everyone’s contributions, we will take up this challenge.”
F1 takes a brief break before the season resumed the Belgian Grand Prix while the Sprint format returns, live on Sky Sports F1 on July 25 to 27. Stream Sky Sports with now – no contract, cancel at any time.
