Helmut Marko has praised Laurent Mekies for transforming Red Bull since taking over as Formula 1 team boss. The Frenchman replaced Christian Horner in July after Horner’s sacking ended his 20-year reign. Since then, Red Bull has bounced back with podiums and a win, reversing its mid-season slump.
Red Bull’s Turnaround Under Mekies
After cruising to the 2023 championship, Red Bull slipped to fourth behind McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes. But since Mekies arrived from Racing Bulls, the team has improved in four consecutive races. Max Verstappen secured a sprint win in Belgium, back-to-back podiums, and a dominant victory at Monza.
Marko explained that Mekies has reshaped the technical structure. “The whole technical team is more open and they discuss things,” said Marko. “They are not blind to what the simulation says.”
Driver Input Now Crucial
The Italian GP highlighted the shift. Some engineers pushed for higher downforce, but Verstappen disagreed. His preference prevailed, and he dominated from pole, beating both McLarens.
“The engineers are listening more to the driver. If you have such a fast and experienced driver, I think that’s the right way,” added Marko.
He stressed that recognising driver input has improved Red Bull’s top speed. “He has to drive it and it is important that our top speed is improving. We saw we could drive away from the McLarens and also some other changes – the driver’s input was recognised.”
Trend of Engineer-Led Team Bosses
Mekies’ appointment fits the recent F1 trend of ex-engineers becoming team principals. Haas replaced Guenther Steiner with Ayao Komatsu, McLaren promoted Andrea Stella, and Alan Permane took charge of Racing Bulls. Teams believe technical leaders are better equipped for the complex 2026 regulation changes.
Marko echoed this belief: “Appointing him was the right decision. Given the complexity of Formula 1, having a technical expert at the top is probably the better solution.
“It’s now much more structured from a technical perspective. And when everything works together, and the driver is integrated into the process, you can see the results. The car isn’t fundamentally different, but with this level of coordination, we can deliver such performances.”
Looking Ahead to Final Races
Red Bull faces the last eight rounds of the 2025 season starting with the Azerbaijan GP. Marko is confident about maintaining momentum. “With the speed we’ve shown, we should hopefully be able to compete on our own merit at almost every circuit,” he told Servus TV.
Singapore remains the only race Verstappen has never won. Marko admitted it would be special if Red Bull triumphs there. “Singapore would be special – it’s the only race we’ve never won. But maybe it’ll work out there too; we weren’t bad in Zandvoort either.
“We’re still fine-tuning and refining things. If we can keep improving like this, that would be fantastic. The championship is gone, but a few more wins would be very nice.”
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