One year after succeeding Christian Horner, Laurent Mekies is going through a particularly turbulent period at the head of Red Bull, between sporting difficulties, major departures, and uncertainties around Max Verstappen.
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On July 9, 2025, Red Bull surprised by thanking Christian Horner before immediately appointing Laurent Mekies as team principal and CEO.
Twelve months later, the situation is very different from what was hoped. After nine Grands Prix in 2026, Red Bull only occupies fourth place in the constructors’ championship with 128 points, far behind Mercedes, the leader with 333 points.
A costly gamble
Upon his arrival, Mekies made a strong choice: to continue developing the 2025 car rather than focusing all efforts on the 2026 technical revolution.
This gamble almost allowed Max Verstappen to make an incredible comeback in the championship.
When Mekies took office before the Belgian Grand Prix, the Dutchman was more than 100 points behind the McLaren drivers. He eventually came back to just two points behind Lando Norris before the Abu Dhabi finale.
A spectacular comeback… but one that left its marks. Today, Mekies acknowledges that Red Bull is paying the price: “We are paying today the price of the effort made at the end of the 2025 season.”
The start of the 2026 season quickly demonstrated this. In Japan, the RB22 was more than a second behind the pole position. The Frenchman had already shown great lucidity from the first races.
“We do not expect to win.”
Then, before the Austrian Grand Prix, he added: “There is no doubt that the upgrades brought in Austria will not be enough on their own.”
A huge technical challenge
Mekies’ task is also complicated by the arrival of the first Red Bull Powertrains engine developed in partnership with Ford.
The team now has to integrate its own power unit into a completely new set of regulations, facing manufacturers like Mercedes or Ferrari who benefit from several decades of experience in this field.
To these technical difficulties is added a significant wave of departures.
Helmut Marko left Red Bull at the end of the 2025 season. Technical director Craig Skinner followed a few months later, before Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen’s long-time race engineer, announced his departure to McLaren at the end of his contract in late 2027.
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Verstappen, the big question
Max Verstappen’s situation is obviously the main cause for concern.
Seventh in the championship with only 76 points, the four-time world champion has never hidden his frustration with the new regulations and the RB22’s performance.
“It’s still as bad. It feels like Mario Kart. This is not motor racing. For me, it’s a joke.”
A few weeks later, his assessment was even more worrying: “I am not enjoying it at all. I feel empty.”
His contract runs until 2028, but several performance clauses could now allow him to leave Red Bull earlier than expected.
According to several reports, his entourage has already started exploratory talks with McLaren. Laurent Mekies is trying, however, to calm the speculation.
“Max will be much happier as soon as we give him a more competitive car.”
A still very uncertain future
The Red Bull boss continues to express confidence in the team’s progress and the engine project. He regularly mentions a trajectory that will gradually reduce the gap with the best.
It now remains to be seen whether these improvements will come quickly enough to convince Max Verstappen to continue the adventure.
Because after such an intense first year, the future of the Frenchman at the head of Red Bull seems more than ever linked to that of his four-time world champion.
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