Laurent Mekies, former Ferrari engineer who took charge of Red Bull in July following Christian Horner’s departure, now found himself facing an unimaginable horizon: the Formula 1 World Championship.
Mekies on the intensity of leading Red Bull
“Do you sleep well at night?” he was asked on Saturday morning ahead of the final round of the 2025 Formula 1 season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – “Yes. I live for rare moments like these, full of intensity and complete pressure. Go down to the garage and look into the team’s eyes: you’ll find the same excitement,” Mekies replies.
Winning the race may not be enough. “Whatever happens, it will remain a historic comeback,” he adds.
The turning point for Red Bull
When did he start believing in the championship? “No one expected it. I must give full credit to the people in Milton Keynes. They never accepted giving up on this championship and never surrendered to the car’s limitations.”
Upon arriving at the top, the situation was challenging. “I found a team that wouldn’t give up and was trying to react, searching for a key to make this project meaningful,” Mekies explains.
Red Bull’s 2026 preparations
Was it risky to focus on the 2026 regulations? “We did it because it was important to understand the tools and methods. If you don’t understand past mistakes, you can repeat them. Yes, we lost some time on 2026 development, but we gained confidence and certainty. Next year’s challenge will be titanic: we’re building the engine in-house with support from Ford. We know we’ll suffer at the start; it would be naive to say otherwise.”
Working with Max Verstappen
“Being Max’s team principal is even more extraordinary off the track. His technical sensitivity, total understanding of the car, and ability to convey information to engineers — I’ve never seen anyone like him. He lives for racing day and night,” Laurent Mekies says.
He shares an anecdote: “If you call him on Monday after a race just to say hello, he’ll answer, ‘I’ll call you back, I’m at home with the kids and doing a simulator race.’ If you give him a free weekend, he goes on track with his GT team. He does it purely for passion.”
What impresses him most? “The combination of extraordinary talent and passion. Not only does he rarely make mistakes, but he also pushes all of us to improve. One of Red Bull’s greatest strengths is this approach to the limit. We take big risks; sometimes we fail, but we never stop trying to get better. We can afford this because Max doesn’t judge mistakes, he pushes with us.”
Convincing Verstappen to stay
“Every team faces this with every champion. Max cares about one thing: a fast car. We know we have to deliver, not just for him but for Red Bull. He’s fully integrated into the program,” Mekies adds.
Laurent Mekies’ Ferrari experience
Formerly Mattia Binotto’s deputy at Ferrari, Laurent Mekies left when Fred Vasseur arrived. Would he have liked to become team principal at Maranello? “Ferrari was a wonderful experience; I learned a lot with Mattia and the team, lessons I carry with me. I also had a close relationship with Fred, so staying would have been nice. But I’m not the type to stay in my comfort zone. I was offered the role of team principal at Racing Bulls: a train I couldn’t miss. Life then brought me to Red Bull.”
Thoughts on Ferrari and McLaren
Surprised by Ferrari’s difficulties? “Not really. F1 is extremely competitive. The line between success and failure is very thin, especially this year where fractions of a second make all the difference. I wish Ferrari the best.”
And McLaren? “Our rivalry is marked by absolute respect. It’s a battle among giants — we should enjoy it. It’s easy to forget how difficult it is to win, not the championship, but even a single race.”
Leave a Reply