Former Haas F1 Team Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner has praised Red Bull team chief Laurent Mekies for his calm leadership, crediting him with the Milton Keynes outfit's recovery following Christian Horner's exit.
Mekies replaced Horner in the role of Red Bull CEO and team principal in July 2025. The Briton's exit was one of many key personnel departures from the team in recent years, including Adrian Newey, Helmut Marko and Jonathan Wheatley.
Max Verstappen
Not only did Mekies have the job of stabilising the squad after numerous exits, but he also managed the team through the introduction of its new power units developed by Red Bull Powertrains in collaboration with Ford, alongside the regulation changes in 2026. It currently sits fourth in the constructors' championship.
The Bahrain Grand Prix became a milestone moment for the team after four-time champion Max Verstappen secured his first win of the season and the first win for the Red Bull Powertrains project.
Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast following the race at the Sepang International Circuit, Steiner applauded Mekies for ignoring any outside noise and stabilising the team.
"He inherited a team a little bit out of control," Steiner said. "Good old Laurent just worked it out, always friendly, always with a smile, always polite."
Source: Motorsport
