Ralf Schumacher believes that Red Bull have made one ‘perfect’ decision after dropping Christian Horner

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Red Bull face a very important six months to determine the direction and trajectory of their Formula 1 team over the next few years.

Christian Horner’s departure after 20 years is the first real management void that they have ever had to fill, opting to promote from within for the time being.

It means that ex-Ferrari deputy team principal and 2025 Visa Cash App Racing Bulls boss Laurent Mekies is their new boss.

He’s tasked with making sure that Red Bull don’t lose any more speed than they already have heading into the 2026 F1 regulations, as they look to get back to title-winning form.

Horner let a ‘perfect’ Red Bull partnership end by failing to ensure that Honda would remain their supplier in the future, after they performed another Formula 1 U-turn.

Mercedes want to sign Max Verstappen for 2026, and that could end up being the final nail in Red Bull’s coffin. He has performed miracles for them, and without him, they might have been at the bottom of the constructors’ championship.

READ MORE: How Red Bull staff reacted to Christian Horner’s exit on private filming day during Laurent Mekies’ first day in charge

Ralf Schumacher thinks Laurent Mekies’ Red Bull promotion after Christian Horner axe was ‘perfect’

Horner’s sacking hasn’t impacted Helmut Marko, and the Austrian is expected to remain with the team as their advisor until at least the end of the 2026 season.

Admittedly, his ties are closer to Verstappen, so he could move if he was to jump ship to Mercedes, but that feels less likely now.

Horner’s exit might have calmed the Formula 1 driver market, but there are no guarantees in this sport. As Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari move showed, anything can happen.

But Ralf Schumacher believes that Red Bull’s first step after Horner’s exit was a ‘perfect’ one, as Mekies arrives from Racing Bulls.

“Oh yes, that was the perfect choice,” he said. “So, first of all, that you fill it internally. We had two teams for that, and Mekies is incredibly experienced, he also worked at Ferrari, then went to [Racing Bulls] and that’s exactly why this person is so approachable, so nice, so likeable.”

READ MORE: Christian Horner was forced to give up one key role by his biggest ally before Red Bull sacking

Where has Laurent Mekies worked during his Formula 1 career?

Mekies has nearly 25 years of experience in Formula 1, and has worked with five teams before arriving at Red Bull.

He started life with Arrows, before a move to Minardi saw him be race engineer for the likes of an upcoming Mark Webber and Justin Wilson.

He’d stick around for a few years before they were bought by Red Bull and turned into Toro Rosso – the Racing Bulls team today.

After nine years as a chief engineer, he joined the FIA for a few seasons, filling a variety of roles before returning to competition with Ferrari for 2019.

In 2023, he made the decision to leave them and become the team principal of Racing Bulls, the team he once worked for, and now he’s the boss of one of the most influential teams in the sport.