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The Independent
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Who is Laurent Mekies? Red Bull's new F1 team principal replacing Christian Horner after shock exit
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. 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 27 July. 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. 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. 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. Mekies left Ferrari halfway during the 2023 season, following Binotto's departure at the end of 2022. 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. "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." 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."
The Independent
03-06-2025
- General
- The Independent
Max Verstappen ‘deserved black flag' for George Russell collision, says Johnny Herbert
Johnny Herbert believes Max Verstappen should have been disqualified from Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix as the fallout from the Dutchman's collision with George Russell continues. Verstappen deliberately drove into arch-rival Russell during the closing stages of Sunday's race. The Dutchman was given a 10-second time penalty, dropping him from fifth to tenth, and handed three penalty points on his FIA superlicence. He is now just one point away from a race ban. Nico Rosberg, the 2016 F1 world champion, said on commentary duties for Sky Sports F1 that Verstappen should have been disqualified and ex-F1 racer Herbert agreed with that assessment. 'I totally agree with Nico Rosberg -- Max Verstappen deserved a black flag and should have been disqualified,' Herbert said. 'There's a point where you have to be hard on the driver when there have been many of these types of incidents. Verstappen is the best driver on the track, with the best racecraft and judgement, but there is always a story with him. 'It's usually some kind of racing incident we all end up talking about with Verstappen, unfortunately. It was clear as day that Verstappen's move on George Russell was on purpose. He backed out at the right corner, where he could then attack and retake the place by driving into Russell. To me, that's overstepping the mark.' Herbert added that modern-day racing involving 'wheel-banging' needs to be stamped out by the stewards. "A black flag is something that could have been thought of by the stewards and the race director, you have to stop this wheel-banging type of racing,' Herbert said, in association with RoobetAlternatives. 'Anyone can go and crash into another car, it's totally wrong to purposely bang into a fellow driver. 'It's happened historically, with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, with Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill, and with Jacques Villeneuve too. In the 1997 incident, Schumacher was banned for the season. "For me, I'd like to think I was a hard and clean racer, and Verstappen can be that too, that collision overstepped the mark. I don't want to see it, nor do the drivers. 'That type of racing should not happen. If it does happen, the penalty should be harsher to stamp it out. It can't just be a 10-second penalty, otherwise you're treating it like any other racing incident." Herbert was dropped as an F1 race steward in January after being criticised by Verstappen's dad, Jos, for commenting on the Dutchman's driving style as a media pundit, alongside being an official. The 60-year-old was critical of Verstappen's driving style in Mexico last year, when the former British driver was part of the stewarding panel who dished out a 20-second penalty to the Red Bull driver. This incident prompted Jos to rebuke: 'I think a steward shouldn't talk to the press at all.' Herbert was then dropped by the FIA prior to the 2025 season due to the 'incompatibility' of his dual role. The next race of the 2025 season is the Canadian Grand Prix on 15 June.
