Almost a year after taking command of Red Bull Racing, Laurent Mekies is experiencing a decisive moment in Formula 1. After leading an impressive comeback last season, the executive now needs to reverse the team’s performance in 2026 and contain the uncertainties surrounding Max Verstappen’s future.
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This mission for the Frenchman has become even more complicated, given Red Bull’s drop in performance this year. The team is only in fourth place in the constructors’ championship, with 128 points, far from the leader Mercedes, which has 333, a scenario that highlights the size of the challenge faced by the executive since he replaced Christian Horner in July 2025.
Shortly after taking the team principal position, Mekies chose to keep full focus on developing the 2025 car, even with the upcoming major regulation change planned for 2026. The strategy almost resulted in a title that seemed unlikely, as Verstappen reduced a deficit of over one hundred points to finish just two behind Lando Norris of McLaren in the decision in Abu Dhabi.
However, Mekies himself admits that the choice had consequences for the present. According to him, Red Bull is ‘paying the price’ for the concentrated effort last season. The 1.2-second gap to pole position at the Japanese GP exposed the limitations of the RB22, and the executive previously acknowledged that ‘we do not expect to be winning’. Before the Austrian GP, he also stated: “There is no doubt that just the Austria update will not be enough.”
Another factor that increases the complexity of the project is Red Bull’s debut as a power unit manufacturer. The team is developing its own engine in partnership with Ford, facing the challenge of integrating a new power unit into a car designed for a completely new regulation, while competitors like Mercedes and Ferrari have decades of experience in this sector.
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Off the track, Mekies also had to deal with important changes in the team’s structure. Helmut Marko retired at the end of 2025, chief designer Craig Skinner left the position in February 2026, and in April, it was confirmed that Gianpiero Lambiase, Verstappen’s race engineer, will move to McLaren when his contract ends at the end of 2027.
Verstappen himself also represents a concern for Red Bull. Only seventh in the drivers’ championship, with 76 points, the four-time world champion made harsh criticisms of the 2026 regulations and the RB22. After the Chinese GP, he said: “It’s still terrible. It’s like playing Mario Kart. This is not racing. For me, it’s a joke.” In another interview, he reinforced his dissatisfaction by saying: “I’m not having any fun at all. I feel empty,” he added.
Although he has a contract until the end of 2028, many speculations point out that performance-related clauses may allow an early exit this year, while his team of agents held exploratory talks with McLaren. Mekies tries to minimize the rumors and believes that Verstappen ‘will be much happier when he has a more competitive car’. Turning this expectation into reality will, it seems, be the main test of the executive’s first cycle leading Red Bull Racing.
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