Aug.30 (GMM) Laurent Mekies admits his sudden promotion to Christian Horner’s old role at Red Bull came as a shock.
“Completely out of the blue for me,” the 48-year-old Frenchman told De Telegraaf. “In the weeks that followed, I had tons of conversations and felt like I was in a state of flux. So the summer break actually worked out well.”
Mekies laughed when asked if he had truly managed to switch off. “You’re not trying to make me say I broke FIA rules, are you?”
The former Ferrari, FIA and Racing Bulls figure explained that the upheaval has been tough on his family. “I left Italy for Silverstone for the race, with a three-day suitcase. Then I stayed in England for a month,” he laughed again.
“When I returned earlier this month, I was fortunate enough to be able to focus on my wife and three sons for a while. So you understand why those boys won’t let me read a book in peace.
“Right after I took over, I was asked a lot if my family was moving to England. My answer was that I didn’t even have enough clothes in England. For now, my family will stay in Italy.”
Now his job is to steer Red Bull out of its turbulent period on and off track, with McLaren dominant and a huge regulatory shift looming for 2026.
“I’ve had many conversations with the leaders of all departments,” said Mekies. “It’s about looking at every area to see what can be improved and how we can make the car faster.
“This team has dominated for years, and those qualities haven’t all suddenly disappeared. There’s just no magic button we can press to reach McLaren’s level.”
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