New Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies admitted the absence of his predecessor Christian Horner felt strange as he began work at the Milton Keynes squad.
“It still feels a bit unreal to be here and not to see him,” said Mekies, who Red Bull announced as its new team principal on Wednesday. “It would be impossible to underestimate the size of the achievement that this team has had under 20 years of Christian’s leadership.”
Horner brought Red Bull into F1 in 2005 and guided them to six constructors’ championship trophies while drivers Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel won eight titles between them.
“I met him 20 years ago when he was the youngest team principal in Foarmula 1,” Mekies reflected, “and it’s unbelievable to see how he has turned this place to the level at which it is now and in that journey the many, many titles and wins.”
Mekies returned to Red Bull’s second F1 team, now known as Racing Bulls, last season, having previously spent a 12-year stint there. He said Horner played a key role in bringing him back, along with Red Bull’s motorsport consultant Helmut Marko and CEO of corporate projects and new investments Oliver Mintzlaff.
“I think the main thing is that it is a Red Bull family and we feel the incredible support from Oliver, from Helmut, from the shareholders,” said Mekies. “We have had huge investments both on the Racing Bulls side and on the Red Bull Racing side.
“It [means] moving across the road from one building to another. Of course it’s changing teams but more importantly it’s staying in the Red Bull family.”
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Having previously run Racing Bulls’ smaller operation, split between bases in Italy and the UK, Mekies now heads up Red Bull’s much larger base in Milton Keynes, including the new division which is working on their first F1 power unit for next year’s change in regulations. He has experience of working for a manufacturer team before, having been sporting and racing director at Ferrari between 2018 and 2023.
“[I] want to meet the guys and the girls that are doing the magic behind the scenes, and that’s what the next few weeks will be dedicated to,” he said. “To try to meet as many of our people as possible, to listen to them, to try to understand this beautiful magic machine that is Red Bull Formula 1, and eventually find ways to contribute and to support.”
Miss nothing from RaceFans
Get a daily email with all our latest stories – and nothing else. No marketing, no ads. Sign up here:
Formula 1
- “I think whatever you think”: How Stroll and Alonso split strategies at Silverstone
- ‘I’ve considered Hulkenberg an exceptional talent for a very long time’ – Wheatley
- Alpine is now F1’s highest scoring last-placed team of all time: British GP stats
- Horner says he leaves Red Bull “with a heavy heart” in first statement since shock exit
- Does Horner’s exit give Verstappen a reason to stay at Red Bull – or prove he’ll go?