Mekies credits team effort for Red Bull resurgence

Laurent Mekies says Red Bull’s return to form is the result of collective hard work rather than his own influence since replacing Christian Horner at the helm.

The French engineer, promoted from Racing Bulls earlier this year, has been praised by both Max Verstappen and Dr Helmut Marko for steering the team out of its mid-season slump, but Mekies insists he deserves no special credit.

“It’s still zero,” he smiled when asked about his role. “And I’m also saying that very seriously. The step forward in Monza came from everyone who analyses the car’s limitations race after race. They ask themselves how to get more out of the car, how to make it faster, and where to improve. That work, together with Max’s very strong feedback, is paying off.”

Marko has said Mekies has created a more open environment where driver input is taken more seriously, a change from Horner’s more management-driven approach.

Mekies’ next major assignment will be advising Red Bull’s leadership on its 2026 driver plans. Rookie Isack Hadjar looks set for promotion, while Yuki Tsunoda’s position remains uncertain after another inconsistent showing in Singapore.

“Yuki didn’t have a good Saturday,” Mekies admitted. “Friday was solid, but Saturday was bad. We need to work with him to understand what went wrong. His opening lap of the race was an absolute disaster.”

Sky Deutschland pundit Ralf Schumacher believes the team’s cultural reset has been key. “In football, you can be the best coach, but if you don’t reach the team, there are problems,” he said. “The new boss is an engineer who understands what his people need and takes everyone with him. That’s why things are working again.”