Laurent Mekies points to Christian Horner’s great failure in Red Bull

Formula 1 is a world where details make a difference, and the recent departure of Christian Horner from Red Bull Racing has unleashed a whirlwind of speculation and analysis. The announcement, which took fans by surprise on July 9, 2025, marked the end of an era for the team that dominated the category under Horner’s leadership for two decades. His replacement, Laurent Mekies, former head of Racing Bulls, assumed the position of team director and CEO with immediate effect, and has already begun to point out what he considers one of the biggest mistakes of his predecessor. This change has not only shaken Red Bull’s foundations, but has also fueled the discussions about the future of the team and its star, Max Verstappen. What failed in Horner’s management, and how does Mekies straighten the course?

Horner’s dismissal, after 20 years at the head of Red Bull Racing, was not a decision made lightly. During his term, the team achieved eight pilot championships and six builders, accumulating 124 wins and more than 8,000 points in the World Championship. However, the 2025 season has been a turning point. Red Bull, who was once unbeatable, has fallen to fourth place in the Construction Championship, with only two victories in 12 races. Max Verstappen, the four -time world champion, has seen his domain decrease, leaving 69 points behind the leader, Oscar Piastri, after a disappointing fifth place in the Grand Prix of Britain. Internal pressure, controversies outside the track and the exit of key figures such as Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley have contributed to an environment of instability.

Laurent Mekies, in his new role, has not taken to identify what he considers one of Horner’s greatest failures. In an interview published by Red Bull after his appointment, Mekies stressed the importance of focusing on people within the team, describing them as “the best in the world in what they do.” However, according to sources close to the team, Mekies has indicated that Horner, in his last years, focused too much on external responsibilities, such as the development of the power unit by 2026, to the detriment of the management of the racing team. This point of view resonates with the words of the journalist Lawrence Barretto in the Podcast F1 Nation, who suggested that the burden of leading the Red Bull engines project, in collaboration with Ford, was a significant distraction for Horner. “That responsibility could be too much for Mekies too,” Barretto warned, underlining the magnitude of the challenge facing the new boss.

Horner’s departure has also been linked to internal tensions, particularly with the Max Verstappen environment. According to commentator Martin Brundle in The F1 Show of Sky Sports, “the Verstappen camp has been throwing hand grenades for months,” referring to the open criticisms of Jos Verstappen, Max’s father, towards Horner. Brundle suggested that these tensions, combined with the loss of key figures such as Newey, took Red Bull’s managers to question whether Horner was the right man to lead the team to the new era of regulations in 2026. Motorsport Italia reported that Verstappen had a “final confrontation” with the CEO of Red Bull, Oliver Mintzlaff, which precipitated the decision to say goodbye Horner

Mekies, with his vast experience in Formula 1, seems to be a logical choice to succeed Horner. His career includes roles as a career engineer at MINARDI, director of security at the FIA and sports director at Ferrari, before leading Racing Bulls since 2023. In this last role, Mekies demonstrated his ability to revitalize a team, working together with the CEO Peter Bayer to establish a clear direction for the sister sister of Red Bull. In a statement to Reuters, Mekies recognized the “great challenges” that await him, but also expressed his admiration for the team, stating that he sees him as “the most sharp” of the grill, even from his perspective as a previous competitor.

However, not everyone is convinced that Mekies can fill Horner’s shoes. Gerhard Berger, former pilot and team owner, expressed his doubts in Planet F1, questioning if Mekies has what is necessary to prosper at the highest level of Formula 1. These concerns are amplified by the fact that Mekies assumes the position at a critical moment, with Red Bull facing not only an irregular performance on the track, but also rumors about a possible way out of VERSE. The Dutch pilot, frustrated by the performance of RB21, has described the car as “inconducible” after the Great Britain Grand Prix, F1 Oversteer reported. With his contract until 2028, but with rumors of exit clauses, uncertainty about his future is an additional challenge for Mekies.

Another aspect that Mekies must address is the relationship between Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls. His appointment has revived concerns about the dynamics between the two teams under the Red Bull umbrella, especially after Mekies criticized Horner for the management of the 2021 cost limit scandal, when he was in Ferrari. At that time, Mekies said that Red Bull had fought with a light sanction, an opinion that now resonates with irony given its new role. His experience in the FIA and his knowledge of Ferrari could be strategic advantages, but they also generate questions about how it will handle the complexities of leading a team that has historically exploited the regulations of Formula 1.

The next Grand Prix of Belgium, on July 27, will be the first fire test for Mekies as head of Red Bull Racing. With the team in a vulnerable position and the threat of losing Verstappen, its ability to unify the team and optimize performance will be crucial. Horner’s departure, although shocking, could be the catalyst that Red Bull needs to reinvent himself in the face of 2026, when the new chassis regulations and power units could redefine the hierarchy of Formula 1. Mekies, with his focus on people and his technical experience, he has the opportunity to write a new chapter in the history of Red Bull, but the path will not be easy.

The question that remains in the air is whether Mekies can exceed expectations and return Red Bull to the top, or if Horner’s shadows and internal tensions will continue to weigh on the team. Fans, meanwhile, observe with a mixture of curiosity and expectation, eager to see how this change will transform the panorama of Formula 1. What is clear is that, in a sport where every decision counts, Laurent Mekies has before him the opportunity of his life, and the whole world will be attentive to his next steps.