Red Bull has officially stated that Laurent Mekies, the new team principal, will have a reduced scope of duties compared to his predecessor, Christian Horner. Mekies, a Frenchman, now leads the Formula 1 team following the recent announcement of Horner’s departure by the main Red Bull company.
The reasons behind the abrupt change in leadership have not been publicly disclosed by either the team or its parent company. However, long-time advisor Helmut Marko has revealed that various factors, notably the team’s performance decline, played a significant role in the decision-making process.
According to Marko, the decision to replace Horner was made by Oliver Mintzlaff, the chief executive of Red Bull corporate projects. Mintzlaff informed Horner of this decision in London after the Silverstone race and expressed gratitude for Horner’s contributions over the past two decades and eight World Championship titles.
Horner had faced increasing scrutiny and lost the trust of Red Bull executives in Austria due to his extended tenure. The change in leadership was facilitated by a shift in support from majority shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya, who had previously backed Horner but recently changed his stance.
While Mekies now holds both the team principal and chief executive titles, it has been clarified that his authority will be notably limited compared to Horner’s previous role. Mekies aims to prioritize the retention of key assets, particularly star driver Max Verstappen, who has been rumored to be considering a move to Mercedes following Horner’s exit.
In efforts to enhance competitiveness and appeal, Mekies is focused on optimizing Red Bull’s position to persuade Verstappen to remain with the team. By prioritizing performance improvement and team dynamics, Mekies aims to make the decision-making process easier for Verstappen.
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