The glaring Red Bull problems new team boss Laurent Mekies must fix

Laurent Mekies faces the biggest challenge of his F1 career by stepping into Christian Horner’s shoes as Red Bull’s new team boss.

Red Bull have chosen Mekies to lead the team following Horner’s shock sacking earlier this week after 20 years in the role and having led the Milton Keynes side from lowly F1 points-scorers to serial championship winners.

It is not completely new territory for the 48-year-old Frenchman, who had been running Red Bull’s sister team Racing Bulls, and has vast experience from other senior positions at Ferrari and the FIA.

But Mekies is undoubtedly being thrown in at the deep end at a Red Bull team in crisis following months of declining form and a power struggle between management factions. 

Mekies does not have the luxury of time to settle into his new role and find his feet, with several issues requiring immediate attention…

Convince Max Verstappen to stay

Job number one for Mekies is to keep hold of Max Verstappen, providing the Dutchman has not already decided to leave Red Bull.

There have been suggestions Horner’s firing was directly linked to Verstappen and came as a result of an ultimatum to Red Bull - either that Horner goes, or Verstappen does. There are also theories that Horner may have been sacked as a result of Verstappen choosing to quit.

Verstappen has, publicly at least, stressed his commitment to Red Bull, whom he is contracted to until the end of 2028, but that has not stopped him being linked with a switch to Mercedes. Toto Wolff has confirmed he has spoken to the four-time world champion’s team about a move, with rumours intensifying in recent weeks.

Horner’s departure may make Verstappen more likely to stay put. After all, there was tension between Horner and Verstappen’s camp following a public feud which has lingered in the wake of the sexual harassment allegations which were made against Horner at the start of the 2024 season.

The controversy around Horner made Verstappen uncomfortable and he was unhappy to see design legend Adrian Newey and other senior personnel leave the team. Verstappen is frustrated by Red Bull’s dramatic fall from competitiveness which has left his world title hopes in tatters, while there are concerns and uncertainty about the team’s longer-term prospects as they build their own engine for F1’s rules shake-up next year.

Verstappen has a big decision to make, but with a major point of friction now removed in Horner, and the chance for a clean slate under new leadership, will it make his choice easier? Mekies has some convincing to do.

Help Yuki Tsunoda regain his confidence

Along with their decline in form, the other big problem facing Red Bull relates to their second driver.

No matter who Red Bull have put in their second car since 2018, no one has been able to get anywhere near Verstappen. This was a minor problem when Red Bull had the benchmark car in F1, but the issue has been exacerbated now their car is beset with issues and well off the pace. 

Yuki Tsunoda is the latest in a long line of Verstappen teammates to struggle. The Japanese racer has managed just seven points since replacing Liam Lawson after just two races into the 2025 season.

While Tsunoda has fared better than Lawson, he has faced huge difficulties in getting to grips with the tricky RB21 which Verstappen has remarkably dragged to two victories. 

Tsunoda’s early form was encouraging - at least compared to his predecessor - but it has since taken a worrying nosedive, with the 25-year-old finishing last in both the Austrian and British grands prix. He now looks well and truly lost. 

Mekies knows Tsunoda well from their time together at Racing Bulls. He is a big supporter and believer in Tsunoda, and his arrival will come as welcome news. Mekies’ calm management style might just help Tsunoda relax and rediscover the kind of performances he regularly produced when he thrived at Red Bull’s sister team.

Steady the ship - both on and off track

The Red Bull team is in need stabilising after a turbulent 18 months. Not only has the company’s image been somewhat tarnished by the scandal in Horner’s personal life, the team's fall from dominance and slide down F1’s pecking order has been swift and damaging.

Red Bull are lagging behind their rivals on track, and off it have lost some crucial figures amid a period of political infighting and turmoil that has engulfed the team.

Mekies’ vast experience and understanding of the inner workings of the Red Bull organisation will be invaluable as he looks to turn around the team’s fortunes, restore some confidence, and help repair the team’s image and identity.

During his time at Racing Bulls, Mekies gained a reputation for having clear management strengths to get the best out of his team and his young drivers. Mekies boasts a breadth of experience from his F1 career, which began with Arrows back in 2001, and is viewed as someone who has the management qualities to succeed in the role.