When Laurent Mekies replaced Christian Horner as Red Bull team principal in July 2025, the transition was surprisingly smooth.
The Frenchman, promoted from his role at Racing Bulls, oversaw a genuine resurgence in the second half of that season, with Max Verstappen winning in Monza and Baku as Red Bull rediscovered their competitive edge.
Verstappen came within two points of retaining his title, and optimism around Mekies’ leadership was palpable heading into the new regulation cycle.
Fast forward to 2026, and the picture could not look more different. Nine races into the season, Red Bull sit fourth in the constructors’ championship on 128 points, trailing Mercedes (333), Ferrari (255) and McLaren (179).
Verstappen is seventh in the drivers’ standings with 76 points, winless, and over 250 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
The four-time world champion has made his frustrations abundantly clear. After sprint qualifying in China, he described the RB22 as “undriveable.” At the British Grand Prix, he conceded Red Bull are “still not where we want to be,” pointing to cornering weaknesses and deployment issues, before adding that he expected to be battling “the guys behind me” rather than fighting for victory.
Over team radio during the Silverstone race itself, his language was rather more colourful when describing the car’s downshifts.
The goodwill Mekies earned through that strong finish to 2025 is fading fast. Whether the honeymoon is truly over may depend on the next few races. In particular, he has Verstappen’s future to deal with.
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