Red Bull may still be in fourth place, but Laurent Mekies' leadership is quietly transforming the team. With strategic personnel changes and a focus on long-term growth, Red Bull is laying the groundwork for future success.
A year into Laurent Mekies' tenure as Red Bull's Team Principal, the team finds itself in a familiar position—fourth in the Constructors' Championship. However, this static position doesn't quite capture the undercurrents of change Mekies is steering behind the scenes.
Mekies took over from the long-serving Christian Horner after leading Racing Bulls, and his first year at the helm has been anything but straightforward. When he assumed the role, Red Bull was struggling, scoring only 172 points from 12 Grands Prix and trailing McLaren by a considerable margin. Fast forward to this season, and they have 128 points from nine races, a similar average, but the gap to leaders Mercedes has shrunk to 205 points.
Mekies' strategy has been methodical, emphasizing the importance of people in the team's success. His focus in the first six months was on understanding the team's dynamics and identifying areas for improvement. This included continuing development on last year's car to better understand their strengths and weaknesses, even as rivals shifted focus to new regulations.
This approach paid off late last year when Max Verstappen won six of the last nine races, nearly overtaking McLaren in the standings. Though the title slipped away, the insights gained have been invaluable. Mekies has since reshaped the team, bringing in around 130 new staff members in early 2026 and making key changes, such as appointing Ben Waterhouse and Andrea Landi to pivotal roles.
While the team's new wind tunnel won't be ready until next year, Mekies is laying a solid foundation. Red Bull faces short-term challenges with their car, notably persistent rear wing issues, but there's optimism within the team. They remain confident in their path back to the front of the grid.
The second seat at Red Bull has also been a bright spot. Isack Hadjar, in his second season, has consistently finished in the top six, proving to be a formidable teammate to Verstappen. His performance is arguably the strongest since Daniel Ricciardo, which is no small feat given the caliber of drivers Verstappen has faced.
Verstappen's future with Red Bull, however, is less certain. While he is keen to win, the team hasn't provided the machinery to do so this season. With limited options for a move, his best bet may be to stay and help Red Bull regain their competitive edge.
Mekies' challenge will be to convince Verstappen to stick around, and the best way to do that is to deliver a car capable of fighting for wins. Red Bull's current standing might not reflect a leap forward, but under Mekies, they are quietly setting the stage for a return to glory.