Laurent Mekies isn’t interested in grand narratives about rebuilding a fallen giant. For him, Red Bull is not a broken team—it’s a champion that needs to be safeguarded. In an exclusive interview with FormulaPassion at the Monza paddock, the new Team Principal stressed that the team’s foundations are solid; the challenge is preserving their edge on track.
“First of all, we are not in a situation where we have to build a winning team. This team is the same one that has won the most in the last thirty years,” Mekies said. “There have been two winning cycles, separated by a more difficult period. We are not approaching this as if we need to build a winning team, but asking ourselves how to protect a successful team so it can continue to perform at the same level.”
The departure of key figures like Adrian Newey and Rob Marshall has been a test. But Mekies sees it as part of a natural cycle. “The fact that there have been senior departures in the last 4-5 years is not new; it started a few years ago,” he noted. “Our number one priority is to build an environment where our talents can develop and where everyone in the paddock wants to come. We believe we have the best talents.”
To ensure no gaps, Mekies conducted an internal audit department by department. “We have an extraordinary talent base. Together with our management group, we analysed department by department to know if we have the best people and how to strengthen the team,” he explained. “We believe we have the best talents at home and therefore we are in an extraordinary situation. We are completing the team where we need external figures, but without any philosophical problem.”
Red Bull also benefits from having a sister team, Racing Bulls, as a talent pipeline. “Racing Bulls is like any other team. The number one priority is to have an environment that allows you to create and develop talents. Once that’s done, you need the open-mindedness to decide where those talents can contribute,” Mekies added.
Amid this transition, one thing keeps Red Bull optimistic: the in-house power unit. The future involvement of Ford is expected to further bolster that project. “We have a power unit built at home, and Ford may give an even bigger contribution in the future,” Mekies said.
With an approach rooted in internal development, Red Bull under Mekies is not just trying to stay at the top—it’s ensuring the championship culture remains alive. The next challenge is proving that protecting this legacy translates into on-track performance, not just boardroom rhetoric.
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