Laurent Mekies: New Red Bull CEO and team principa...

New Crimson Bull crew principal Laurent Mekies says it “nonetheless feels unreal” to switch Christian Horner as he spoke for the primary time since touchdown the function.

Mekies, who was Racing Bulls boss, is just Crimson Bull’s second crew principal as Horner had been in cost since they joined the grid in 2005, main them to 6 drivers and eight constructors’ titles.

The Frenchman started his F1 profession on the Arrows crew within the early 2000s earlier than switching to Minardi, which was purchased by Crimson Bull in 2005 and rebranded as Toro Rosso.

He joined the FIA as security director in 2014 and deputy race director in 2017, then made the change to Ferrari in 2018 as sporting director, and later deputy crew principal, earlier than returning to the Crimson Bull household firstly of 2024 as crew principal at Racing Bulls.

“It nonetheless feels unreal to be right here and to not see him [Horner],” mentioned Mekies on a deliberate filming day for Crimson Bull at Silverstone on Thursday.

“It will be not possible to underestimate the scale of the achievement this crew has had beneath 20 years of Christian’s management.

“I met him 20 years in the past when he was the youngest crew principal in F1 and it is unbelievable to see how he is turned this place to the extent it’s now.

“That journey, the various titles and wins. Christian can also be the man, with Helmut [Marko] and Oliver {Mintzlaff] that introduced me again to the Crimson Bull household two years in the past. All the primary ideas are with him at this time.”

Mekies: Crimson Bull not underestimating problem forward

Since dominating the 2023 season and the early phases of 2024, Crimson Bull have been caught and overtaken by McLaren within the pecking order.

Max Verstappen nonetheless managed to win a fourth consecutive Drivers’ Championship final 12 months however is 69 factors behind Oscar Piastri on this 12 months’s title race.

Crimson Bull have had points with their second seat for the final six years after Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and now Yuki Tsunoda have all largely struggled as team-mates to Verstappen.

Their automobile benefit in 2022 and 2023 meant they received the Constructors’ Championship however the deficit between Verstappen and his team-mates has brought on main issues after they haven’t had the very best automobile.

Crimson Bull are additionally taking up the main problem of making their very own engine, with the assistance of Ford, for subsequent 12 months’s regulation change, which Mekies introduced up in his first interview for the crew.

“I take a look at this crew as most outdoors take a look at them, we see the perfect folks on the earth at what they do,” he mentioned.

“That is what this crew is, even from being a competitor beforehand you take a look at Crimson Bull Racing as being the sharpest crew, having managed to build up the very best expertise to work collectively.

“It’s a privilege to affix the crew and the main focus can be on ensuring all of the proficient folks right here have what they should carry out at their finest, as a result of they’re already the perfect.

“We can be focussing on that and ensuring the Crimson Bull power is flowing by the crew. We’re not underestimating the problem forward, we are going to want everyone and we are going to go about it collectively and I’m positive with everybody’s contributions we are going to sort out this problem.”

F1 takes a quick break earlier than the season resumes on the Belgian Grand Prix because the Dash format returns, dwell on Sky Sports activities F1 on July 25-27. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime.