Red Bull Racing personnel have reportedly noted a growing French influence within the team under the leadership of Team Principal and CEO Laurent Mekies. This sentiment emerges over a year after Mekies assumed his current role at the Milton Keynes-based outfit.
Mekies, who is French by nationality, was appointed CEO and Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing in July 2025. This followed the dismissal of Christian Horner, who had led the team since its inception in 2005. Mekies’ first race in charge of Red Bull Racing was the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix.
Prior to his promotion, Mekies served as Team Principal for the Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team, a position he took up in January 2024. His career trajectory includes significant roles at Minardi, Toro Rosso, the FIA, and Ferrari, where he was Sporting Director and later Racing Director.
Born in Tours, France, Mekies pursued his mechanical engineering studies at ESTACA in Paris and Loughborough University in the United Kingdom. His background in French motorsport, including an internship in French Formula 3, has been a consistent element of his professional journey.
Since his arrival at Red Bull Racing, reports indicate a shift in the team’s internal culture. Some factory workers have suggested that Mekies has ‘completely changed the ‘culture’ of the squad,’ leading to a perception of ‘more fun’ within the team.
However, Mekies himself has publicly stated his commitment to preserving the team’s core identity. In February 2026, he affirmed that his primary objective is to ‘protect Red Bull’s competitive DNA’ rather than altering its fundamental principles.
The period under Mekies has also seen notable personnel changes at Red Bull Racing. Key figures such as chief designer Craig Skinner departed in February 2026, and Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen’s long-time race engineer, is slated to leave for McLaren in 2028.
These staff movements, alongside Mekies’ French origin and leadership style, contribute to the ongoing discussions regarding the team’s evolving identity. Mekies has acknowledged the necessity of a ‘complete reset’ when transitioning from Racing Bulls to Red Bull Racing, emphasizing the importance of understanding team dynamics.
Red Bull Racing currently sits fourth in the 2026 Constructors’ Championship. This position reflects the challenges faced by the team, partly attributed to strategic decisions made in late 2025 to continue developing the previous year’s car.
“My job is certainly 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.”
Mekies has maintained that the team’s focus remains on winning, a ‘ruthless culture of expectation’ that defines a front-running Formula 1 operation. He has also noted the team’s supportive and open-minded approach during his integration.
