He speaks, and at the same time never misses the chance to line up his smartphones on the table — never at rest, always lighting up with new notifications. As we know, the life of a team principal is neither easy nor without commitments. And Laurent Mekies, head of the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls team, is no exception to that rule. On the Thursday of the Made in Italy and Emilia Romagna GP in Imola, between one meeting and another, he found time to give this writer an exclusive interview for Formula1.it. A pleasant chat with a courteous, calm, and rational figure, during which we touched on several topics — from the current state of the team he has led for a couple of seasons, to the future of Formula 1, without forgetting his time at Ferrari or recent developments in the sport.
Laurent, many people remember you for your time at Ferrari: can you explain the difference in pressure and roles between VCARB and the Scuderia?
“Honestly, I think nothing can compare to Ferrari — in a positive sense. The Scuderia is a unique entity, not just because it’s a top team and we’re a midfield team, if you want to call it that. But in general. I think it’s better to speak of one chapter that’s closed and a new one that has just begun. As for pressure, that’s always present, in both small and big teams. It depends on the competitiveness of the people involved. And in this environment, we — I mean all of us — are extremely competitive.”
You’ve recently bid farewell to Yuki Tsunoda, who’s been promoted to Red Bull. Are you happy with the work done together?
“Seeing Tsunoda make the step up to Red Bull, after all the progress he made with us last season, is something that makes us truly happy and proud of our work. Just 12 months ago it seemed like science fiction, and now it’s reality: we’re proud of what we’ve done. Alongside chasing maximum competitiveness, developing drivers for the Red Bull family is our priority. If they needed drivers and we had nothing to offer, that would be a big problem. It’s one of the reasons we’re here. Probably these swaps cost us something in terms of performance, it’s true, but it’s part of the game.”
Looking at the present, you’re going through a season with a line-up where Hadjar is proving to be a major surprise and Lawson is bouncing back after his Red Bull rejection. Thoughts?
“Speaking about Lawson, yes, he took a big hit from the Red Bull races. No one could’ve predicted it, but that’s in the past now. He’s back with us, getting into a car he didn’t know. We’ve seen him make important progress: the talent we all know is coming back. Maybe it hasn’t been so visible, but he’s really pushing hard and doing well — that means he feels good with himself and with the team. Hadjar is a big surprise for everyone — except Helmut Marko (he laughs). I must say, from the moment he started working with us up to the first race, he showed an extraordinary starting point, even though for us the focus is on growth. And we have to help him grow. But the foundation is excellent, as we saw in qualifying in Australia. Even off track, he’s humble, happy, and a hard worker. Before we move on, can I add something?”
Of course…
“I think our driver pairing has done about twenty races in total — combining Liam and Isack. I invite you to put that data on a chart compared to the other 9 teams, and you’ll see the enormous gap between us and the rest. Maximum respect to everyone, but having two rookies means we can’t ask them for the same things expected from the other 18 drivers. Again, we’re sacrificing something in terms of competitiveness, but I hope it’ll help us in the future.”
Can you explain, then, how this indirect management of drivers impacts the team’s growth in the long term?
“It’s never an advantage — no point in pretending otherwise. It’s always complicated to manage these situations, especially when you have two rookies. But it’s our DNA, our reason for being, and we have to combine that with the goal of fighting at the top of the midfield and perhaps beating teams bigger than us.”
Still on the topic of drivers: do you play a direct role in their promotion to Red Bull, or does Helmut Marko make the decisions without consulting you?
“I’d like to be clear: it will never be our job to choose Red Bull’s drivers. That’s up to Helmut Marko and Christian Horner. Our role is only, when necessary, to provide the parent company with valid options. In 2024 we gave two valid options with Lawson and Tsunoda, and this year, when asked, we put another valid name on the table. And we’ll be ready to do it again.”
On the subject of Red Bull advisors, there’s been talk about a possible arrival of Sebastian Vettel. What do you make of these rumours, especially given your previous connection at Ferrari?
“Honestly, I think talking about Helmut Marko slowing down his work is pure science fiction (he laughs). Given the energy he puts into his role, his involvement in long-term decisions, and his commitment to driver selection, I don’t believe anything will happen in the short term, regardless of the rumours and names circulating in recent weeks.”
Let’s look to the future. What do you think of the 2026 regulations, especially from the point of view of a team that will focus ‘only’ on building the car, and not on the power unit, which will be the main challenge?
“Allow me a small correction. I wouldn’t speak of only aerodynamics: we have to build an entire car — designed and produced between Faenza and Milton Keynes. All under Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, except for the parts we buy from Red Bull, like gearbox and suspension. We make 80% of the car. In 2026, there will be a regulation that requires starting from a blank sheet — deciding where to place things in the car, the radiators, accessories. Everything. There’s a huge amount of conceptual and design work happening alongside aerodynamic development. It will be the biggest change in recent F1 history, and I think it will reshuffle the pecking order. It’s such a deep revolution that it would be really hard to have the same picture as today.”
Let me be direct: are you saying that you, too, could have a shot at the top?
“I think that even if we’re all starting from a blank sheet, we shouldn’t fool ourselves by saying ‘Ok, we can win’. We must stay focused on team growth. In recent months we’ve made massive changes, and we still have room to grow to be in the fight right behind the top teams — and mind you, that would mean beating at least two constructors. But I believe we can reach that goal not by getting bigger or spending more, but by having strong talent and a lean, efficient structure. 2026 will be an opportunity, but the goal remains to keep growing the team without falling for the ‘blank sheet effect’ illusion.”
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