logo
Mekies brings vast experience as he takes over F1 team Red Bull after Horner's sacking

Mekies brings vast experience as he takes over F1 team Red Bull after Horner's sacking

Yahoo09-07-2025
FILE - Ferrari's sporting director Laurent Mekies attends a press conference ahead of the French Formula One Grand Prix at the Paul Ricard racetrack in Le Castellet, southern France, Friday, June 18, 2021. (Nicolas Tucat/Pool via AP, File)
FILE -RB team principal Laurent Mekies is interviewed on the grid before the Sprint race at the Miami Formula One Grand Prix, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)
FILE -RB team principal Laurent Mekies is interviewed on the grid before the Sprint race at the Miami Formula One Grand Prix, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)
FILE - Ferrari's sporting director Laurent Mekies attends a press conference ahead of the French Formula One Grand Prix at the Paul Ricard racetrack in Le Castellet, southern France, Friday, June 18, 2021. (Nicolas Tucat/Pool via AP, File)
FILE -RB team principal Laurent Mekies is interviewed on the grid before the Sprint race at the Miami Formula One Grand Prix, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)
MILTON KEYNES, England (AP) — Red Bull's Formula 1 team is changing team directors for the first time since it was founded 20 years ago, after Christian Horner's sacking sent shockwaves through the sport on Wednesday. But his replacement Laurent Mekies could be the calm presence the team needs amid what promises to be an intense period of scrutiny.
Mekies, who had been head of sister team Racing Bulls, brings vast experience to the role after he was hired to replace Horner as chief executive of Red Bull's F1 team.
Advertisement
The timing of Horner's firing at least gives him a little bit of time to prepare, as he takes charge of his first race at the Belgian GP on July 27.
Here are some things to know about Mekies:
What are his credentials?
The 48-year-old Frenchman has been in F1 since the early 2000s.
He worked as a race engineer with the Minardi team — which featured future Red Bull driver Mark Webber — and was among the Minardi staff who stayed when Red Bull took over and created the Toro Rosso team in 2005.
He brings vast experience, and F1 knowledge from both working inside teams and inside the institution of motor sport's governing body, FIA.
Advertisement
After leaving Toro Rosso in 2014, Mekies had a stint as the FIA's safety director during a crucial time as F1 made the 'halo' protective device mandatory on cars, following the death of French F1 driver Jules Bianchi and British IndyCar driver Justin Wilson in 2015.
Ferrari role
Mekies returned to a team role in 2018, joining Italian F1 giant Ferrari as its sporting director, working alongside then-team principal Mattia Binotto.
He was promoted to race director, and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc once doused him with Champagne after winning the 2022 Austrian GP.
But erratic decision-making and botched pit stops by the team during races undermined Ferrari's bid to challenge at the top.
Advertisement
Mekies left Ferrari halfway during the 2023 season, following Binotto's departure at the end of 2022.
Racing Bulls
Mekies became team principal of the Racing Bulls team at the start of 2024.
When Yuki Tsunoda was promoted to the Red Bull team after just two rounds this season, Mekies said he was 'incredibly proud' of Tsunoda's progress.
This season he also worked with rookie French driver Isack Hadjar, who has impressed in spells, and Liam Lawson after he was demoted from Red Bull to make way for Tsunoda.
Mekies will be replaced by Alan Permane at Racing Bulls, formerly the racing director.
Advertisement
'The last year and a half has been an absolute privilege to lead the team,' Mekies said. "The spirit of the whole team is incredible, and I strongly believe that this is just the beginning. Alan is the perfect man to take over now and continue our path.'
Challenges ahead
Looking further ahead, Mekies has much work to do at Red Bull with new technical regulations on cars coming up in 2026.
'The challenge is huge, probably the biggest for the teams,' he said recently. 'I'm sure the teams will need the drivers to help them develop in the right direction (and) help them grasp these regulations.'
___
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Attack of 'large proportions' disrupts streaming of Barcelona's preseason match in Japan
Attack of 'large proportions' disrupts streaming of Barcelona's preseason match in Japan

Associated Press

time14 minutes ago

  • Associated Press

Attack of 'large proportions' disrupts streaming of Barcelona's preseason match in Japan

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — An attack of 'large proportions' disrupted the streaming of Barcelona's preseason match in Japan on the club's streaming platforms, the club said Sunday. Barcelona said 'various pages' attempted to disrupt the live feed of the team's 3-1 win at Vissel Kobe on Sunday. 'As a result of this avalanche of requests, the system engaged the pertinent security mechanisms which then affected the broadcast on the (club's) website and app,' Barcelona said in a statement. 'Straightaway, the decision was taken to offer the game free on the club's YouTube platform to guarantee the broadcast of the game.' Barcelona apologized 'for the inconvenience caused and will contact all those people affected.' Barcelona's trip for the Asia preseason tour was delayed because of an issue with a promoter. ___ AP soccer:

Belgian Grand Prix briefing: Piastri wins, Hamilton impresses after chaotic start
Belgian Grand Prix briefing: Piastri wins, Hamilton impresses after chaotic start

New York Times

time14 minutes ago

  • New York Times

Belgian Grand Prix briefing: Piastri wins, Hamilton impresses after chaotic start

McLaren's Oscar Piastri overtook his teammate and championship rival Lando Norris in the opening stages of a rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix to win and further extend his championship lead. The Athletic's experts, Luke Smith and Madeline Coleman, analyze the race's main talking points. If you'd had offered Lewis Hamilton a gain of 11 places in the race after what he called an 'unacceptable' qualifying result on Saturday, one would imagine he'd gladly have taken it. Advertisement And yet there was a moment in Sunday's race when the Ferrari driver was lighting up the timesheets as the fastest man on the circuit, meaning there's reason to think that finishing seventh would result in some mixed feelings. Ferrari's decision to start Hamilton from the pit lane after taking a new power unit also meant it could adjust the setup on his car, going for a higher downforce setup that would work better in the wet by offering more grip. In the early phase of the race, he put this to brilliant use, passing Carlos Sainz, Franco Colapinto and Nico Hülkenberg all in the space of a single lap to charge up the order. Hamilton was then the first driver to make the switch from intermediate to slick tires, fitting a set of mediums at the perfect time, again gaining him a bunch of places as others waited an extra lap or two before making the same move. He'd gone from the pit lane to seventh in just 14 laps. But that would ultimately prove to be Hamilton's ceiling. On a dry track, more downforce was less of a good thing, leaving him stuck watching the rear of Alex Albon's Williams for the remainder of the race. He sounded fired up on the radio as he tried hunting Albon down, taking in the info from race engineer Riccardo Adami over battery modes and different lines to make up the time. He simply couldn't get close enough, reporting at one point his car felt 'draggy as hell.' Ferrari's updated suspension, designed to resolve the ride height issue that has plagued it since its double disqualification in China, seems to have provided a step forward. A top-five was surely on the cards for Hamilton without his track limits faux pas. But it was fun, even for the opening quarter of the race, to see Hamilton back on the charge; a glimmer of better things soon to come through his tricky first year wearing Ferrari red. Luke Smith One may have expected a battle to brew between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen given how fine the margins were between the two during qualifying. The Ferrari driver qualified just 0.003 seconds quicker than the reigning world champion. 'I don't know yet,' Leclerc said Saturday when asked if he could keep Verstappen behind come race day, adding that he hoped the rear suspension upgrade had given Ferrari the 'upper hand' over the Red Bull. Advertisement As expected, Verstappen was all over the back of Leclerc's car during the opening stages of the race, looking for a moment to dive past. But the opportunity never came, a gap steadily growing as the race wore on. It hovered in the two-second realm for a good chunk of the race before ending at around 1.5 seconds as the Red Bull driver made another push in the closing stages. By Lap 34, Leclerc was nearly 11 seconds behind the McLaren duo but a podium finish is a strong sign for Ferrari, which has struggled in recent weeks. So what does this mean for the remainder of the season? When asked on Saturday whether it gives him confidence for the second half of the season, Leclerc said 'yes and no,' pointing at the gap to McLaren that is at multiple tenths of a second. 'We'll do a step forward. I don't think though that we'll find those three or four tenths in that upgrade. But it will help us to get closer. The more we use it, the more we'll be able to maximize this and there'll be some more potential to gain. But no, I don't think it's enough to be able to challenge the McLaren consistently from now on.' Right now, Leclerc seems to be right. The gap was quite large to the McLaren duo by the end, but it could help Ferrari keep a stronger hold on second in the constructor standings. Madeline Coleman There were concerning flashbacks to 2021 when heavy rain started to fall as the cars assembled on the grid in the lead-up to lights out. Four years ago, the Belgian Grand Prix lasted just two laps, both completed behind the safety car, as showers washed out proceedings on what was a disappointing day for F1. We had to wait more than an hour before the FIA deemed conditions were good enough to go racing after drivers reported poor visibility during their initial formation lap behind the safety car. The call to throw a red flag was criticized by some, including Max Verstappen, and there was some logic to that concern given the rain only then grew heavier. There was a risk the best window to get in some laps had been missed. Advertisement In the end, the decision to wait proved to be entirely correct. The race finally went green at 4:20 p.m. local time, having been slated to start at 3 p.m., and after four laps behind the safety car, we were able to go green at last. F1's red flag resumption rules do seem to lack flexibility, given the rain had long stopped and the sun had been out a while before we got going, with a 15-minute restart window required before the cars could leave the pits. That's maybe something that could be looked at in the future. And this generation of cars have notoriously been poor for visibility when trailing others in the rain due to the ground-effect designs, kicking up more spray. But credit should go to race officials for making the right call in the end, putting safety first and, impressively, getting a complete race distance at Spa. Luke Smith

Belgian Grand Prix starts after 90-minute rain delay
Belgian Grand Prix starts after 90-minute rain delay

Yahoo

time42 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Belgian Grand Prix starts after 90-minute rain delay

The Belgian Formula One Grand Prix started after four laps behind the safety car following a delay of nearly an hour and a half due to rain and poor visibility at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. After an initial formation lap behind the safety car, a red flag was shown, the cars were brought back into the pit lane and the starting procedure halted. "I can't see a lot behind the safety car so I can't imagine what it's like for everyone else," McLaren's pole-sitter Lando Norris, who is nine points behind championship-leading Australian teammate Oscar Piastri, said over the team radio. After the long wait, the FIA cleared the race to start once standing water had been removed. LAP 5/44The Safety Car peels off into the pit lane…AND WE ARE RACING!#F1 #BelgianGP — Formula 1 (@F1) July 27, 2025 The safety car then led the field around to assess visibility before a rolling start was decided. The rain-affected 2021 Belgian Grand Prix remains the shortest race in Formula One history with only three laps completed behind the safety car and half points awarded. "We should just run," said Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen over the radio when the red flags were shown. "They're way too cautious." Nico Rosberg, the retired 2016 world champion, told Sky Sports television that there was little drivers could do other than wait. "The conditions out there are horrendous and the race start will be extremely difficult," said the German. "You can't see anything. You have long straights but must stay flat, but you're blind, looking left or right at the wall to find a brake marker board." Piastri, second on the grid, made an immediate move to pass Norris as the race proper got underway.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store