Laurent Mekies now faces Red Bull ‘disarray’ amid ‘substantial’ indications of turmoil in recent days

Follow us on Google Discover

Laurent Mekies has now spent a month as the F1 CEO and team principal of Red Bull, having taken over when the team sacked Christian Horner after 20 years at the helm.

News broke out of Milton Keynes just days after the British Grand Prix in July that the parent Red Bull GmbH company had informed Horner that he was being stripped of his operational duties. It was even decided that Mekies would move over from Racing Bulls as his successor.

Red Bull sacked Horner without telling him why the 51-year-old was being put on gardening leave, too. But it is widely believed that several reasons sparked the Briton’s departure, such as their declining form and his fight for more power with motorsport adviser Helmut Marko.

Marko and Mekies now run the rule in Milton Keynes, as Red Bull have reduced the remit of the role Horner held. The Briton wanted full control over Red Bull Racing, as well as Red Bull Powertrains, and it is even said that Horner wanted to control Racing Bulls’ marketing team.

Red Bull are undergoing a larger restructuring after sacking Christian Horner than expected

Yet Red Bull are now undergoing a larger restructuring after sacking Horner than was initially expected when Mekies moved across from Racing Bulls. Autosprint reports that ‘substantial’ indications ‘in recent days’ now point to ‘mass dismissals’, which have not been announced.

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

Mekies finds himself overseeing a team in ‘disarray’, with claims of ‘discontent’ amongst Red Bull’s staff multiplying. Red Bull are even now advertising for 67 roles that range from senior electrical technician to senior aerodynamics engineer, along with communications manager.

Red Bull are overseeing a vast recruitment drive for various roles at Red Bull Racing, Red Bull Powertrains and Red Bull Technologies, as Horner was not alone in being sacked this July. As well as their long-time team principal, Red Bull sacked communications director Paul Smith.

Red Bull sacked Christian Horner’s close allies and fear further staff could leave

Smith was the director of communications and social media of Red Bull Racing and Red Bull Technologies, but was given his marching orders in July as he was viewed as Horner’s right-hand man. Group chief marketing and commercial officer Oliver Hughes even left the team.

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

Now, Mekies is overseeing a team in turmoil with Red Bull seeking replacements for a raft of roles throughout their operations. Further changes might also be afoot, as Red Bull’s owners fear staff contractually tied to Horner will leave when the Briton’s gardening leave is fulfilled.

Red Bull have only removed Horner from his operational duties as the Briton’s contract runs through the 2030 F1 season. Talks remain ongoing over a severance package to facilitate his permanent departure, with Horner potentially in line for a £110m pay-off to leave Red Bull.