The Team Principal of Red Bull Racing, Laurent Mekies, has spoken openly in an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com. From his arrival at Milton Keynes to the creation of a fully in-house power unit, from the controversial compression ratio debate to the new 2026 driver pairing with Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar, Mekies reflected on the most complex challenge of his career.
At nearly fifty years of age, Laurent Mekies finds himself at the center of the most demanding chapter of his professional journey. Since entering the Formula 1 paddock in 2002 as a young engineer, his path has taken him through Minardi, Toro Rosso, the FIA, Ferrari and back to Faenza. Then, last July, came the heaviest inheritance of all: stepping into the role previously held by Christian Horner at Red Bull Racing.
He arrived in Milton Keynes with humility. “In the first few days I kept telling myself: take your time before forming an opinion. Not only about the people, but also about the way of working. I knew that after a few months I would have a clearer picture. And that’s exactly what happened.”
Taking control at Red Bull Racing
You took charge of Red Bull Racing midway through the 2025 season. How much more ‘in control’ do you feel today compared to six months ago?
“With every passing day you feel a bit more in control, simply because you know the people better and you understand the dynamics more clearly. As I said, I set myself the goal of truly understanding the Red Bull reality without filtering it through my past experiences, trying to keep my perspective as open as possible. Today I can say the team has been fantastic. Everyone had just gone through a monumental change (Horner’s departure), yet I was welcomed in an incredible way. After a few months, I understood that my job is not to change the foundations of the team, but to protect its competitive DNA: here, everything is done to make the car faster. The rest matters little.”
Last year you experienced the joy of victory very early on. How much did you feel those second-half successes were yours?
“They are not ‘mine’, regardless of the fact that I arrived mid-season. We are two thousand people. Red Bull has won a lot, but in 2025 the team had a difficult start and had to go through deep changes. It would have been easy to say: let’s focus on 2026. All the conditions were there to turn the page and start from scratch – new regulations, the first in-house engine, a new team principal and other changes at the top.”
Instead…
“Instead, the exact opposite happened. No one, absolutely no one, wanted to give up. It’s the racing spirit of this group. Everyone gave their maximum, and from Monza onward it felt like a new championship had begun. That’s why I say, going back to your initial question, that my role is to protect these talents and guarantee them the best possible working environment.”
The 2026 power unit challenge
With the 2026 Formula 1 season about to start, predictions remain difficult. However, one milestone has already been achieved: the debut of your first in-house power unit exceeded expectations. Were the initial forecasts too pessimistic?
“I don’t think the expectations were wrong. Let’s start with a crucial point: at the site where our power unit was designed and built, just over three years ago there was a field. We did not take over an existing facility; everything started from zero, identifying and hiring 700 people. The headquarters were set up and the working group had to bond and learn to operate together. When at 9:00 a.m. on the first day of testing in Barcelona the car left the garage, I believe it was a historic moment. This group achieved a real feat. I can testify that everyone slept very little and sacrificed many weekends.”
Was there emotion in the garage?
“Yes, but one second later we were already focused on the data and on the long road ahead, which remains enormous. We are all aware that, even though we have an extraordinary starting point, we are up against motorsport giants with huge experience. We have climbed the first mountain, but another one remains. At the moment we are a bit behind the other three top teams, but ready to give everything to catch up.”
What role does Ford play in the project?
“Ford has been an important partner from day one. The collaboration is intensifying. They have expertise in producing highly complex components that are very difficult to find. For us it is extremely important to rely on a structure capable of manufacturing the most complex engine parts.”
Is there also a contribution on the hybrid side?
“Yes, not only on the internal combustion side. I would add that, being an automotive giant, Ford gives us the opportunity to knock on their door and ask for highly experienced people in specific areas of the power unit. Anyone visiting the Milton Keynes headquarters today will see several engineers coming from Ford. We turn to them whenever we need a professional profile that is difficult to find on the market. It is a very important aspect.”
The new generation of F1 cars
What have you liked so far about this generation of cars and about yours in particular?
“As a motorsport enthusiast, I can’t wait to see the technical evolution we will witness on track, both on the power unit side and on the chassis side. We are on the eve of one of the most intense development cycles ever. That is what fascinates me the most. At the moment we have also seen some critical issues, especially regarding power unit recharging, but history teaches us that Formula 1 teams have an incredible ability to tackle and solve problems. That is one of the most fascinating aspects of this sport.”
How much will performance grow during the season?
“It’s difficult to quantify, but I believe the evolution from the first to the last race of the season will be three or four times greater than what we saw last year.”
Max Verstappen, however, did not use encouraging words when commenting on these cars. Do you think drivers will still be able to make the difference?
“More than before, for two reasons. First: the cars are slower in corners and faster on the straights. This means that over a lap a driver will spend more time in corners, which is where the difference is made. So, quite simply, the ‘grip-limited time’ is higher than last year, and the driver’s talent has more time to express itself. Second: the cars and energy management are more complex. In this scenario, the person inside the cockpit can make an even bigger difference than last year. There will be a lot of work to extract the maximum potential. It is not certain that the qualities that stood out in the past will be the same ones that shine now, but we are only at the beginning of this project and I trust in our ability to break through technological barriers that today seem insurmountable.”
FIA grey areas and the compression ratio debate
The FIA is under pressure regarding certain grey areas in the regulations. Is there an imbalance of power between the Federation and the teams?
“I don’t want to oversimplify, but when it comes to regulations, the more restrictive they are, the more they are exposed to grey areas. It may sound trivial, but if you choose a more open set of rules, you reduce the scope for disputes. Of course, that is not a magic recipe, because there are downsides. The first is cost escalation, which today would put significant pressure on the budget cap. The other risk of less restrictive rules is a much wider performance spread across the grid. If you allow more freedom, some will exploit those areas better than others, and the gap between the best and the rest could grow. As for the other part of the question, I am not convinced it is about the number of engineers at the FIA versus the teams, but rather about the regulations themselves. I have always believed it is important to ban only what you are able to control.”
What is your view on the compression ratio saga?
“We ask for clarity. Tell us what we are allowed to do, and the rest matters little: it is essential to have a clear understanding of what is permitted. After that, I believe each competitor should be able to reach the result by following the path they consider best. This applies not only to the power unit, but to everything.”
Working with Max Verstappen and the arrival of Isack Hadjar
Since taking charge at Red Bull Racing, you have worked closely with Max Verstappen. What impression has he made on you?
“Fantastic. Max is motorsport in every sense; there is not a single detail he does not analyze. What he does behind the wheel is clear for everyone to see, but internally you can admire his extraordinary technical sensitivity and his global understanding of this sport, which I imagine comes from being immersed in it since childhood. He has limitless vision. His role goes beyond driving; he is a true driving force for everyone working on the project and plays a crucial role in the system. He is involved in every aspect – when we take risks, when there are failures, in every decision. In such a radical regulatory change, he is an enormous added value.”
Do you also support his desire to compete in other categories, such as the GT3 program?
“Absolutely. I have seen how many people appreciated his willingness to challenge himself in other contexts, and as a fan I can only understand it. In our free time we all dedicate ourselves to something we are passionate about, and Max wants to be on track. He is in love with this sport.”
This year, another major change at Red Bull is the arrival of Isack Hadjar, a driver you got to know last season at Racing Bulls. After several unsuccessful pairings in the past, do you believe he has the qualities and personality to handle the demanding role of Verstappen’s teammate?
“So far he has done everything the right way, confirming the correct approach in terms of commitment and personality. He immediately moved to England, he is at the Milton Keynes headquarters every two days and is living in close contact with the team. Between the two Sakhir tests he returned to the simulator; he is leaving nothing to chance. On the eve of departure for Melbourne, I see him in a very good place, smiling and calm. Then it will be up to us to create the right environment around him when pressure and expectations arrive, but he has the personality and preparation to do a good job.”
Laurent Mekies’ perspective provides a fascinating look into a Red Bull team that is simultaneously defending its legacy while navigating a total technical rebirth. The successful debut of their first in-house power unit is a testament to the “racing spirit” he describes, a culture that refuses to settle for a transition year despite the monumental shift in leadership and regulations. With a technical leader focused on protecting the team’s competitive DNA and a driver like Max Verstappen acting as a “global leader” for the project, the Milton Keynes squad seems determined to prove that their era of dominance is far from over.
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