After an impressive wave of departures, Red Bull is trying to regain stability. David Coulthard sees in the Mekies-Verstappen duo one of the keys to the renewal.
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Red Bull is probably going through one of the most important transition periods in its Formula 1 history. After losing several major figures from its organization since 2024, the Milton Keynes team is now looking to rebuild a structure capable of sustainably reaching the top again.
At the heart of this new project are Laurent Mekies and Max Verstappen. The Frenchman, who took over Red Bull after Christian Horner’s departure in July 2025, notably succeeded in convincing the four-time world champion to extend his contract until the end of the 2030 season.
For David Coulthard, former driver and current Red Bull ambassador, the relationship between the two men is precisely one of the main reasons for optimism about the future.
Red Bull has lost several pillars in two years
The transformation of Red Bull has been spectacular. Since 2024, the team has seen several key figures who greatly contributed to its many successes leave.
Christian Horner left his position as team principal, while Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley, Will Courtenay, Craig Skinner, and Helmut Marko also stepped down from their respective roles.
To this long list must be added Gianpiero Lambiase. Head of race engineering and Verstappen’s engineer for many years, he is soon to join McLaren.
Red Bull therefore has to replace a considerable amount of knowledge and experience while continuing the development of its car and its new in-house power unit.
A particularly delicate mission for Mekies.
Mekies must attract new talents
Coulthard believes that one of the Frenchman’s main responsibilities is now to rebuild the teams around him.
“Laurent’s job is to make sure they have the right people progressing internally and that they also recruit the right people,” he explains to RacingNews365.
Red Bull has already started strengthening certain areas. The team notably recruited Gwen Lagrue from Mercedes to lead its young driver program.
But Coulthard believes that Verstappen’s presence itself is a powerful argument to attract new talents to Milton Keynes.
“Max is someone who attracts people. It’s a bit like Adrian Newey: when Adrian is somewhere, people think he must know what he’s doing.”
Verstappen as a magnet for Red Bull
The Dutchman’s extension until 2030 therefore goes far beyond the simple question of the driver in the car.
Keeping Verstappen also allows Red Bull to send a signal of stability while the organization has been deeply shaken in recent years.
“It takes time to build,” warns Coulthard.
And Mekies has an important advantage: unlike a leader completely external to the structure, he already knew the Red Bull environment perfectly before taking over the main team.
After working for the FIA and then Ferrari, the Frenchman joined Racing Bulls as team principal in 2024. He was therefore already integrated into the structure when Red Bull asked him to replace Horner.
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A valuable advantage for Mekies
This knowledge of the organization allowed him to save valuable time.
“The key element is that Laurent was already part of the Red Bull family. So he didn’t need to build a relationship with Austria and the owners because they already knew him,” emphasizes Coulthard.
The former Scottish driver also stresses the richness of Mekies’ background.
“He brings a lot of experience thanks to his time at the FIA, at Ferrari, and throughout his career.”
His management style is, however, very different from that of his predecessor.
“He has a different personality and a different way of working than Christian Horner, but there is not just one way to become world champion as a team principal.”
Mekies accepts Verstappen’s frustrations
This approach seems to work particularly well with Verstappen.
The 2026 season is difficult for Red Bull. After several years spent regularly fighting for wins and championships, the team currently does not have the reference car.
Verstappen has never hidden his frustration with the difficulties of the RB22. But Coulthard believes Mekies knows perfectly how to manage this situation.
“I think Laurent understands that. He is very calm and he understands that Max has the right to be frustrated because he also knows the team is frustrated.”
This mutual understanding would help prevent sporting difficulties from creating additional tensions.
“The alchemy is good”
Mekies had already demonstrated his ability to stabilize the team during the second half of the 2025 season.
Under his leadership, Verstappen made a spectacular comeback in the championship and ultimately fell short by only two points to Lando Norris in the title race.
The Frenchman also oversaw the final stages of the Red Bull Powertrains project before the debut of the in-house engine in 2026.
But his most important long-term success may be having convinced Verstappen to continue the adventure until 2030, thus putting an end to the many speculations surrounding his future.
For Coulthard, the relationship between the two men now constitutes a particularly solid foundation.
“The alchemy is good and I think it helps eliminate the doubts conveyed in the media, which further strengthens this alchemy.”
Red Bull still faces a huge task after losing several architects of its successes. But with a Verstappen committed until 2030 and a Mekies whose calm seems to suit the Dutchman perfectly, the team now has two pillars around which to organize its reconstruction.
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