Helmut Marko reveals why Red Bull made the ‘right decision’ to swap Christian Horner with Laurent Mekies

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Max Verstappen’s victory at the Italian Grand Prix marked Red Bull’s first win since Christian Horner’s sacking from the team in July.

Verstappen dominated at Monza as he finished nearly 20 seconds ahead of the championship favourites in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The win also marked the reigning champion’s first victory since Imola in May.

At the time of Horner’s sacking, the Austrian constructor looked to have been a sinking ship off the back of four consecutive seasons, which saw Verstappen win the drivers’ championship.

However, since Laurent Mekies’ appointment to the position of CEO and team principal, the change in Red Bull’s team culture has also started to see an uptick in the on-track results.

Helmut Marko revealed a change that Mekies brought back into the fold, noting that the ‘old’ Red Bull team spirit is back and that they are finding time to laugh again.

READ MORE: All you need to know about Red Bull team principal and CEO Laurent Mekies

Helmut Marko believes having a ‘technician’ as team principal is a step in the right direction for Red Bull

Speaking to ServusTV, via OE24, Marko claimed that replacing Horner with Mekies was the ‘right decision’ following the Frenchman’s impact on the team since the swap.

“I think that was the right decision,” Marko told a reporter. “Given the complexity of Formula 1, a technician at the top is probably the better solution; everything is then structured more from a technical perspective.”

Mekies’ previous experience as an engineer was highlighted as one of his key traits upon taking up the role in July.

Carlos Sainz believes that is what makes Mekies a perfect fit to lead Red Bull back to the top of the constructors’ standings.

Yuki Tsunoda has also greatly benefited from the change in leadership. After previously racing under Mekies at Racing Bulls prior to his promotion to Red Bull, Tsunoda’s voice has been heard more in team meetings regarding the development of the car.

READ MORE: All to know on sacked Red Bull team principal Christian Horner with net worth

Helmut Marko believes Red Bull are now working ‘optimally’ under Laurent Mekies

Continuing in his conversation with ServusTV, Marko also noted that the reason Red Bull are now back on an upward trend is due to the way in which the whole team is working together.

“It works because the entire team is working together optimally,” Marko said. “The drivers are also involved in the setup, and we can now make the most of the potential.”

With only eight rounds remaining, it’s clear that the championships will be heading to McLaren by the time the chequered flag falls in Abu Dhabi.

However, Marko notes that race wins are still very much on the cards for Red Bull and Verstappen, stating, “The world championship is over, but a few wins would still be nice.”

The change in tune comes after Verstappen previously stated that he wouldn’t win another race in 2025. The comments were made after the Hungarian Grand Prix in August, with it taking just one race in between for his forecast to be debunked.