Laurent Mekies has described replacing Christian Horner as Red Bull team principal as “unreal” in his first interview since taking on the role. The 48-year-old Frenchman, promoted from Red Bull’s sister team Racing Bulls, steps in after Horner’s sudden dismissal following 20 years at the helm.
Mekies paid tribute to Horner, calling his achievements "impossible to underestimate," and acknowledged his pivotal role in Red Bull’s six constructors’ and eight drivers’ championship wins. Mekies recalled meeting Horner two decades ago when he was the youngest team boss in F1, noting how impressive his transformation of the team has been. He also expressed personal gratitude, highlighting that Horner, along with Helmut Marko and Oliver Mintzlaff, was responsible for bringing him back to the Red Bull family two years ago.
Speaking during a filming day for Red Bull’s 2025 F1 car at Silverstone, Mekies recognized the challenges ahead, especially with the team’s recent decline in form. With a long F1 career that began at Arrows, followed by stints at Minardi, the FIA, Ferrari, and most recently Racing Bulls, this marks Mekies’ most prominent role to date.
He praised the Red Bull team as having the best talent in the sport and said his focus would be on ensuring they have everything they need to succeed. Mekies emphasized teamwork and the importance of channeling Red Bull’s energy through the entire organization as they take on the challenges ahead together.
.jpg)
.jpg)
