Latest news with #Mekies
Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Christian Horner successor is sailing Red Bull F1 into more choppy waters
The good ship Red Bull has a new captain at the helm – but it's still sailing the same choppy waters. Making long-serving skipper Christian Horner walk the plank as they did last week unburdens the team of the baggage that came with his presence. Always happy to play the pantomime villain, Horner was a divisive figure long before last year's scandal that rocked Formula 1. Even though he denied and was cleared of accusations of inappropriate behaviour towards a female colleague, it was a PR disaster for both Horner and the company. Performance and the unwavering support of Red Bull's Thai majority owner Chalerm Yoovidhya helped to protect him, even from waves of attacks coming from the firm's Austrian CEOs and Max Verstappen's dad Jos. But now Red Bull are struggling, and Jos continues to spread rumours that his son is off to Mercedes, Horner has paid the price. He is succeeded by Laurent Mekies, the Frenchman who has been promoted from sister team Racing Bulls. There is a certain irony in that, given Horner brought the former Toro Rosso engineer back into the Red Bull family in 2023. Horner was put in charge of steering the struggling sister outfit back on course and hired Mekies as team principal from Ferrari, alongside new CEO Peter Bayer. Now, two years later, the 48-year-old finds himself in one of the top jobs in world motorsport. But it will not be an easy one for Mekies who will need to find his sea legs swiftly. And his first job will be to stop Verstappen defecting to sworn enemies Mercedes. The four-time F1 champion won't be making it five in a row this year with McLaren dominating and he won't want to spend much more time out of contention. Red Bull are making their own engines for the first time next year while Mercedes are veterans on that front and are hotly tipped to start the new F1 era next year strongly. Mekies needs to figure out quickly whether Verstappen truly intends to jump overboard, or whether all the speculation was just his dad making waves. Even if the Dutchman stays for 2026, he'll soon be looking elsewhere if that new engine isn't performing. Verstappen would love to complete his whole career with Red Bull, but not enough to stay on board a sinking ship. And Yuki Tsunoda's struggles show that, if they were to lose their star man, things could get really ugly at Red Bull. It's too late for the team to change course on their engine plans, and it may already be too late to ensure Verstappen will stay for the whole voyage. One thing that is for sure is that it won't be smooth sailing for Red Bull's new skipper. While predecessor Horner loved the spotlight, it is something Mekies, 48, will have to get used to. The Frenchman is a much different character, quiet and unassuming, an engineer at heart, and admitted last year being an F1 team principal was never his "dream". He has not the same level of ambition as Horner, which ended up being the Brit's downfall in part as his huge influence and Red Bull Racing's autonomy under his leadership annoyed the company leadership in Austria, including co-owner Mark Mateschitz and the head of Red Bull's sporting projects, former RB Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff. What will work in Loughborough University graduate Mekies' favour, as could the fact he already has a long-standing relationship with Jos Verstappen having worked with the Dutchman when he was a driver for minnows Arrows in 2001. One thing for sure is that he has never experienced the level of interest he will receive when he turns up trackside for his first race as Red Bull leader at the Belgian Grand Prix later this month. Formula 1 fans can watch every practice, qualifying and race live with Sky's new Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle in a new deal that saves £192. As well as Sky Sports access, this includes more than 100 TV channels and free subscriptions to Netflix and Discovery+.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Laurent Mekies warns of big challenges as he starts work at Red Bull
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Laurent Mekies has started his role as the new Red Bull team principal. – Frenchman Laurent Mekies got down to work as Red Bull team principal on July 10, a day after replacing Christian Horner, and recognised big challenges ahead for the once-dominant former champions. The Formula One team released a video interview after a filming day with the current RB21 car at Silverstone, with Mekies meeting staff and doing plenty of hand-shaking. Horner, who had been in position for 20 years, during which Red Bull won eight drivers' titles and six constructors' championships, was fired on July 9. 'I still look at these guys as most people outside of the team look at them... we see the very best people in the world at what they do,' Mekies said. 'It's a privilege to join the team... the focus will really be at making sure that all the talented people here have what they need to perform at their best because they are already the very best. We are not underestimating the challenge ahead. It's going to be an incredible challenge and we will need everyone.' While Mekies hailed his team as the best, Red Bull are only fourth overall and have won just two of 12 races so far this season. Four-time world champion Max Verstappen is 69 points behind McLaren's Oscar Piastri. Verstappen's future remains uncertain, despite a contract until 2028, with Mercedes and Aston Martin keen to secure his services. Mekies, 48, has a track record in F1 dating back to 2001 with now-defunct Arrows when Verstappen's father Jos was one of the drivers. He subsequently worked with Minardi, who became Red Bull-owned Toro Rosso and are now Racing Bulls. The Frenchman also spent four years at the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) as safety director and deputy race director. He was sporting director at Ferrari from 2018 and then deputy principal before leaving in 2023 and returning the following year to Racing Bulls as principal. As Mekies began work, the sport assessed the fallout of Horner's departure and what it might mean for him and Verstappen. Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, who is close to Horner, told Reuters he had been as surprised as anyone when his compatriot told him the news. Horner, 51, had a contract until 2030, according to reports, and told staff on July 9 that he would remain employed by the company. That suggested a long period of well-paid 'gardening leave' before being able to go anywhere else, and the 94-year-old Ecclestone said he would be surprised if Horner knew what the future held. 'What he's going to do with the rest of his life, difficult to know. I very much doubt he knows what he's going to do,' he said. REUTERS
News18
3 days ago
- Automotive
- News18
Laurent Mekies Chuffed To Join 'The Very Best People At What They Do' At RBR
Last Updated: RBR shared a video of Mekies expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to lead the Austrian side, who stand fourth in the constructors' rankings in the ongoing season of F1. New Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies assumed his role at the helm of the F1 manufacturer, a day after replacing former boss Christian Horner. RBR shared a video of Mekies expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to lead the Austrian side, who stand fourth in the constructors' rankings in the ongoing season of F1. 'I still look at these guys as most people outside of the team look at them. We see the very best people in the world at what they do," said Mekies. 'It's a privilege to join the team. The focus will really be on making sure that all the talented people here have what they need to perform at their best because they are already the very best," the 48-year-old continued. 'We are not underestimating the challenge ahead. Formula One is going to face probably the biggest challenge of regulation in its history. So its going to be an incredible challenge and we will need everyone," the Frenchman added. Mekies started out life in the pits with now-defunct Arrows in 2001, when Max Verstappen's father Jos was one of the drivers. The French engineer moved to Minardi, who became Red Bull-owned Toro Rosso and eventually rebranded as Racing Bulls. Mekies also spent four years as safety director and deputy race director at the FIA. He took charge as sporting director at Ferrari from 2018 and then deputy principal before leaving in 2023 and returned to Racing Bulls as principal in the subsequent season. Red Bull are building their own power unit for the 2026 season, as they attempt to take on manufacturing giants Mercedes, Honda and Ferrari. After twenty years at the helm of the Austrian side, Horner, who helped RBR to 8 individual titles and 6 constructors' championships, was sacked by the team. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
TimesLIVE
3 days ago
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Mekies warns of big challenges as he takes the wheel at Red Bull
Frenchman Laurent Mekies got down to work as Red Bull team principal on Thursday, a day after replacing Christian Horner, and recognised big challenges ahead for the once-dominant former champions. The Formula One team released a video interview after a filming day with the RB21 car at Silverstone, with Mekies meeting staff and doing lots of hand-shaking. Horner, who had been in position for 20 years during which time Red Bull won eight drivers' titles and six constructors' championships, was fired on Wednesday. "I look at these guys as most people outside the team look at them. We see the very best people in the world at what they do," Mekies said in a Q+A put together by the Red Bull press office. "It's a privilege to join the team. The focus will be at making sure all the talented people here have what they need to perform at their best because they are the very best," he said. "We are not underestimating the challenge ahead. Formula One is going to face probably the biggest challenge of regulation in its history so its going to be an incredible challenge and we will need everyone." Red Bull are building their own power unit for 2026 when they will take on major manufacturers Mercedes, Honda and Ferrari. While Mekies hailed his team as the best, Red Bull are only fourth overall and have won two of 12 races so far this season. Four-times world champion Max Verstappen is 69 points behind McLaren's Oscar Piastri. Verstappen's future remains uncertain, despite a contract until 2028, with Mercedes and Aston Martin keen to secure his services. Mekies, 48, has a track record in F1 dating back to 2001 with now-defunct Arrows when Verstappen's father Jos was one of the drivers. He subsequently worked with Minardi, who became Red Bull-owned Toro Rosso and are today Racing Bulls. The Frenchman also spent four years at the governing FIA as safety director and deputy race director. He was sporting director at Ferrari from 2018 and then deputy principal before leaving in 2023 and returning the next year to Racing Bulls as principal. As Mekies began work, the sport assessed the fallout of Horner's departure and what it might mean for him and Verstappen. Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, who is close to Horner, told Reuters he had been as surprised as anyone when his compatriot told him the news. Horner had a contract until 2030, according to reports, and told staff on Wednesday he would remain employed by the company. That suggested a long time of well-paid "gardening leave" before being able to go anywhere else, and Ecclestone said he would be surprised if Horner knew what the future held. "What he's going to do with the rest of his life, difficult to know. I very much doubt he knows what he's going to do," he said.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Christian Horner replacement sends message to Red Bull staff on first day
Red Bull announced the bombshell news of Christian Horner's exit from the team earlier this week with his replacement Laurent Mekies already addressing staff since being promoted Laurent Mekies has left Red Bull staff in no doubt that he is up for the challenge after replacing Christian Horner as boss. The reigning F1 constructor champions announced the bombshell news that their long-serving CEO would be leaving with immediate effect earlier this week. It was confirmed that he had been dismissed just days after the British GP. Red Bull then announced his replacement as former Racing Bulls Team Principal Mekies. And the Frenchman got the opportunity to address Red Bull staff at Silverstone as part of a pre-arranged filming day with the RB21. Speaking in a speech, Mekies said: 'I look at this team as most outside look at them, we see the very best people in the world at what they do,' Mekies said during that first outing with the team. 'That's what this team is, even from being a competitor previously you look at Red Bull Racing as being the sharpest team, having managed to accumulate the best talent to work together. 'It is a privilege to join the team, and the focus will be on making sure all the talented people here have what they need to perform at their best, because they are already the very best. 'We will be focussing on that and making sure the Red Bull energy is flowing through the team. We are not underestimating the challenge ahead; we will need everybody and we will go about it together, and I am sure with everyone's contributions we will tackle this challenge.' Mekies' address to Red Bull staff came amid a similar message from the outgoing Horner who expressed his shock at his axe in an emotional speech. He said: "Yesterday, I was informed by Red Bull that operationally I would no longer be involved with the business or the team moving forward. I will still remain employed by the company, but, operationally the baton will be handed over. "It came as a shock to myself. I've had a chance to reflect over the last 12 hours and wanted to stand in front of all of you to break this news and to express my gratitude to each and every single member of the team that has given so much during the last 20-and-a-half years. Will Red Bull suffer from Horner's depature? "When I arrived 20 years ago, there were a few less grey hairs. I walked into a team and did not know what to expect but I was immediately welcomed and we started to build what became a powerhouse in F1. Watching and being part of this team, has been the biggest privilege of my life." Mekies' debut as Red Bull CEO will come at the Belgian GP later this month.
