Laurent Mekies has emerged as a central figure in Red Bull’s remarkable recovery during the 2026 Formula 1 season, helping the team return to winning form after a difficult start to the new regulatory era. Yet while Max Verstappen has rediscovered his competitiveness, another significant change is approaching: the eventual departure of his long-serving race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, to McLaren.
Red Bull has been one of the most talked-about teams during the latest Grands Prix. Not Mercedes, despite its differing upgrade specifications in Singapore, or Ferrari, whose campaign has continued to be affected by strategic mistakes, but the Milton Keynes outfit, which has once again demonstrated an important quality in Formula 1: the ability to recover from setbacks and challenge at the front.
Something similar happened during the 2025 season, when Red Bull fought its way back into contention with McLaren and kept the championship battle alive until the final race. This year, however, the circumstances are different. With six races remaining, the Drivers’ Championship appears effectively decided, but Red Bull’s recovery has nevertheless sent an important warning to its rivals ahead of 2027.
Laurent Mekies leads Red Bull through the end of an era
Over the past 18 months, Red Bull has undergone profound organisational changes, losing several of the figures who helped establish the team as one of Formula 1’s dominant forces.
Christian Horner, who oversaw the team’s rise to the top with Sebastian Vettel and later Max Verstappen, departed after two decades in charge. Helmut Marko, whose faith in Red Bull’s young-driver programme helped shape its success, also left the organisation, while legendary designer Adrian Newey moved on after playing a decisive role in developing several championship-winning cars.
The responsibility for carrying forward that legacy fell to Laurent Mekies, the former Ferrari executive who previously served as team principal at Faenza. His appointment represented a major change in Red Bull’s leadership, but his approach has been based on preserving the organisation’s strengths while gradually introducing his own ideas.
The decision to extend Laurent Mekies’ contract until 2031 is a clear indication of the confidence Red Bull has placed in his leadership.
Rather than completely restructuring the organisation, Laurent Mekies has continued the work already under way while introducing changes designed to help the team evolve. He has maintained the high standards associated with Red Bull and contributed to its development during a particularly challenging period.
Laurent Mekies took charge in July 2025, around the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Since then, Red Bull has undergone a period of reorganisation aimed at preserving its competitiveness despite major changes in personnel and the technical regulations.
Red Bull’s 2026 recovery: From early struggles to consecutive victories
The 2026 Formula 1 season began with significant difficulties for Red Bull. For the first time, the team entered a new regulatory cycle with its own power unit, developed internally through Red Bull Powertrains in collaboration with Ford.
Although the project represented an important step towards greater technical independence, Red Bull struggled initially to find the right direction. The complexity of the new regulations and the characteristics of the latest generation of Formula 1 cars contributed to a particularly challenging start.
Max Verstappen encountered problems almost immediately, crashing into the barriers during qualifying for the opening race. A similar situation followed at the Chinese Grand Prix, adding to the difficulties facing the Dutch driver and his team.
As the championship progressed, Max Verstappen gradually recovered ground, although the car continued to suffer from limitations that affected its performance. Among the most significant were problems involving the battery management software, which particularly compromised qualifying performance on Saturdays.
The situation began to improve during the summer as Red Bull introduced a series of technical developments. The most substantial upgrade package arrived at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, marking a decisive stage in the team’s recovery.
From that point onwards, Max Verstappen became a regular podium contender and eventually secured two consecutive Grand Prix victories, first at Sepang and then in Singapore.
Those results also reflected the determination of the four-time world champion, who had reportedly expressed his ambition to win at least one race before the end of the season.
Red Bull’s recovery has therefore been built on a combination of technical improvements, organisational stability and the ability of its leading driver to exploit the performance unlocked by the RB22.
Isack Hadjar plays an important role in Red Bull’s resurgence
Another significant element in Red Bull’s 2026 campaign has been the contribution of Isack Hadjar, who has demonstrated that he can play an important role alongside Max Verstappen.
Although the French driver has not always delivered consistent performances, he has shown the ability to remain competitive and adapt his driving style to the characteristics of the new Formula 1 cars.
That adaptability has been valuable for a team attempting to understand a fundamentally different technical package while simultaneously recovering from its early-season difficulties.
Isack Hadjar’s development also reflects Red Bull’s broader ability to preserve the strengths of its existing organisation while integrating new personnel and ideas.
Under Laurent Mekies, the team has continued adapting to the demands of the 2026 championship without abandoning the principles that contributed to its previous successes.
From Ferrari to Red Bull: Laurent Mekies demonstrates his leadership
Laurent Mekies’ achievements also invite comparisons with other prominent Formula 1 figures who have enjoyed success after leaving Ferrari.
Before joining the Red Bull organisation, Laurent Mekies held senior sporting responsibilities at Maranello, becoming an important figure during both Mattia Binotto’s leadership and the subsequent arrival of Frédéric Vasseur.
However, as Autosprint has also highlighted, Laurent Mekies reportedly did not enjoy the same level of involvement in certain important decisions and meetings during Frédéric Vasseur’s tenure.
His subsequent career raises an interesting question about how Formula 1 teams recognise and utilise the expertise available within their organisations.
Laurent Mekies is not the only figure to have achieved significant results elsewhere after leaving Ferrari. Mattia Binotto has continued his Formula 1 career with Audi, Andrea Stella has established himself at McLaren, and Simone Resta has taken on responsibilities at Mercedes.
These examples highlight the importance of organisational structures and working environments in determining how effectively experienced personnel can contribute to a team’s success.
At Red Bull, Laurent Mekies has been able to introduce his own leadership approach while building on an organisation that already possessed considerable technical expertise and a successful competitive culture.
The recovery of the Milton Keynes team is therefore closely connected to his work in reorganising its structure and creating the conditions for its recent improvements to translate into results on the circuit.
Gianpiero Lambiase prepares for McLaren move after long partnership with Max Verstappen
Among the important figures who remain at Red Bull is Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen’s long-serving race engineer and one of the most recognisable members of the team’s previous generation.
However, his future will eventually take him away from Milton Keynes. Gianpiero Lambiase is set to join McLaren at Woking in 2028, bringing an end to one of the most successful driver-engineer partnerships in modern Formula 1.
The departure will represent another significant adjustment for Max Verstappen, who has developed a particularly close working relationship with Gianpiero Lambiase throughout his Red Bull career.
Their understanding has become an important part of the Dutch driver’s success. Even when radio communication has proved difficult, their familiarity has allowed them to communicate effectively, including through coded messages during the Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay.
Gianpiero Lambiase also shared the podium celebrations following Max Verstappen’s victory in Singapore, creating a memorable moment for two individuals who have experienced so many important achievements together.
For Max Verstappen, losing such a trusted figure will inevitably represent a significant change. The relationship extends beyond routine communication between a driver and his race engineer, having developed over years of victories, setbacks and championship battles.
Max Verstappen reflects on emotional Singapore podium with Gianpiero Lambiase
Max Verstappen spoke about the significance of sharing the Singapore podium with Gianpiero Lambiase, recalling an earlier conversation that made the occasion particularly meaningful.
“It was really special to share the Singapore podium with him,” Max Verstappen said, as reported by Total Motorsport. “I wasn’t expecting it. I remember that last year in Las Vegas he told me, ‘This might be the last time I go on the podium.’ I replied, ‘Don’t talk nonsense, we’re going to win a lot more.’ But in the end, I almost shot myself in the foot.”
The Dutch driver also expressed his appreciation for Red Bull’s decision to send Gianpiero Lambiase onto the podium after the victory.
“It was really nice that the team sent him up there. We all know that he’s leaving at the end of the year, but it was very special to share the podium here, at a circuit where we had never won together.”
Considering the races still to come and the possibility that certain circuits may favour Mercedes, it remains uncertain how many more opportunities Max Verstappen and Gianpiero Lambiase will have to celebrate together in the same way.
The Singapore victory was therefore significant not only because it confirmed Red Bull’s return to the front, but also because it provided another important shared memory for a partnership approaching its eventual conclusion.
Red Bull’s 2026 comeback sends warning to rivals ahead of 2027
Red Bull’s resurgence has come during a season marked by technical difficulties, personnel changes and an unusually demanding transition to new Formula 1 regulations.
Yet the team has demonstrated that it can remain competitive even after losing several of the figures most closely associated with its previous period of dominance.
The leadership of Laurent Mekies, the adaptability of Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar, and the continued contribution of experienced personnel such as Gianpiero Lambiase have all played important roles in the recovery.
Although the 2026 championship appears beyond reach, Red Bull’s recent victories have strengthened its outlook for 2027 and reinforced the value of the organisational changes introduced under Laurent Mekies.
For its rivals, the message is clear: Red Bull remains a team capable of responding to adversity. Even during its most difficult periods, the organisation has demonstrated that it can find the resources, technical solutions and competitive determination needed to return to the front of Formula 1.
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