Laurent Mekies warns of big challenges as he starts work at Red Bull

LONDON – 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