Laurent Mekies has admitted that Christian Horner’s sudden removal as Red Bull Racing team principal came as a complete shock internally, revealing he only learned of his new appointment hours before the news was made public.
Speaking in his first FIA press conference since taking over the role, Mekies said: “It was not very different for me than it was for you, really. I got a call a few hours before you guys were made aware. I was actually in the UK at Racing Bulls and it came in a completely unexpected way.”
The call from Red Bull GmbH boss Oliver Mintzlaff and motorsport advisor Helmut Marko left Mekies stunned. “They asked me if I would be interested to do the job. I actually asked them to think about it for a few hours and hung up the phone,” he recalled.
Mekies acknowledged the gravity of replacing Horner, who led Red Bull Racing for 19 years and was instrumental in bringing Mekies back to the organisation in 2023.
First Thought Was Horner, Then Duty to Red Bull
“The first thought obviously goes to Christian, because it’s not something I could have expected. He has been nothing else than extremely supportive with me these last two years. It’s not a secret he’s the one, with Oliver and Helmut, that brought me back to the Red Bull family,” Mekies said.
But when the weight of the moment hit, Mekies said loyalty to Red Bull ultimately guided his decision. “You just say, ‘Of course, if you think you need me there, I will go there.’”
According to Mekies, the sudden shift also came as a jolt to Red Bull staff: “For sure, the first 24 hours were a big adjustment because nobody was expecting it. The first few hours after the announcement were a surprise for everyone.”
However, Mekies described a unified response inside the factory. “Everybody has been incredibly supportive, willing to open the door, willing to speak, to listen, to explain their limitations and strengths, how we go next about going back to the racetrack and fighting at an even higher level.”
Mekies: Nobody is going to replace him
Asked whether he felt pressure to replace Horner’s strong public presence, Mekies replied: “Nobody is going to replace his character. Nobody is going to replace him like for like. Is there any way one can do it in the same way as Christian?
"No. Or at least, certainly not me.” Mekies added that the new phase would focus on “even more empowerment of our people.”
When pressed on whether he was told why Horner was dismissed, Mekies was clear: “The short answer is no, they haven’t. We didn’t get into the why and the why now, but they outlined the sort of objectives they had for the team moving forward.”
Although the details of Mekies’ contract remain private, he made one thing clear: Red Bull’s goals remain unchanged: “In terms of mission statements, that’s of course the objective for the time being, for the short term and the mid‑term: fight for wins and fight for championships.
“Does anyone have a contract that guarantees him to stay forever? No. I don’t either. But I think it’s pretty normal in Formula 1," added the new Red Bull F1 Team Principal, in charge for the first time at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francochamps.
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