Ralf Schumacher thinks Laurent Mekies will give Red Bull one thing they were ‘lacking’ under Christian Horner

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Red Bull have appointed only their second team principal in their F1 history in Laurent Mekies, having now sacked Christian Horner after 20 years at the helm of the squad.

The 2025 Belgian Grand Prix on July 25-27 will now be the first Formula 1 race that Red Bull will enter without Horner issuing the orders. Appointing the Briton to spearhead their entry back in 2005 was among the first goals that Red Bull realised upon buying Jaguar from Ford.

Horner led Red Bull to six constructors’ titles and eight drivers’ titles over his two decades in Milton Keynes. Yet Mekies will now move over from Racing Bulls, having been named as the replacement for Horner with immediate effect as the F1 CEO and team principal of Red Bull.

Ralf Schumacher hails the ‘human element’ Laurent Mekies gives Red Bull after replacing Christian Horner

Horner moulded Red Bull Racing into the team that they are today, as well as overseeing the creation of Red Bull Powertrains to build their first works engine for the 2026 F1 regulations. Now, the responsibilities fall on Mekies’ shoulders after 19 months in charge of Racing Bulls.

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

Mekies is well-versed in the world of Red Bull Racing, having spent eight years at Toro Rosso from 2006 to 2014. His time as the sporting director of Ferrari from 2018 to 2023 also helps to convince Ralf Schumacher that Mekies is a ‘very good’ pick by Red Bull to replace Horner.

Yet it is in the ‘human element’ that Schumacher has told Sky Germany that Mekies will add a lot to Red Bull, having started to lose it under Horner’s watch. The 48-year-old’s move over from Racing Bulls is also expected to help Yuki Tsunoda amid his ongoing woes at Red Bull.

Schumacher said: “He’s an incredibly experienced man [and] very close to the technology. He understands the car, was also at Ferrari for a long time, is extremely knowledgeable, and also has that human element that Red Bull have been lacking a bit recently.

“Yuki Tsunoda will also be pleased to have this boss, who will support him a bit more. They obviously know each other very well. I think that was a very good decision.

“And, above all, it also shows the dynamic at Red Bull with these two teams: how to develop personnel or people yourself in the sister team and then promote them. Mekies is absolutely ready, and I believe he will handle the task brilliantly.”

Laurent Mekies already understands Red Bull and could be the spark Yuki Tsunoda needed

Mekies started his Formula 1 career in 2001 at Arrows before he joined Minardi in 2003 as a race engineer. His move to Faenza preceded Red Bull buying the team and rebranding them as Toro Rosso, while awarding Mekies the role of chief engineer which he held up until 2014.

The FIA lured Mekies away from Toro Rosso as a safety director, but he returned to F1 with Ferrari in 2018 as their sporting director. He even rose up the ranks at Maranello to become the Scuderia’s racing director and deputy team principal under former boss, Mattia Binotto.

READ MORE: All to know about Racing Bulls from team principal to Red Bull affiliation

A return to Faenza then beckoned in 2024 as Mekies took charge of Red Bull’s sister team as they rebranded as RB before becoming Racing Bulls this season. Mekies worked closely with CEO Peter Bayer to help Racing Bulls improve, as well as getting more out of Tsunoda there.

Mekies especially worked closely with the Red Bull operation to help Racing Bulls improve in the past year, with the two parties much more closely aligned. Racing Bulls now have a base in Red Bull’s Milton Keynes factory which will no doubt help Mekies to adapt to his new role.

Tsunoda enjoyed his best season in 2024 since his debut campaign in 2021, as the 25-year-old scored 30 points – beating his tally from the previous two years combined. But his move to Red Bull from the third round of the 2025 F1 season has not paid off as Red Bull hoped.

Horner promoted Tsunoda from Racing Bulls to replace Liam Lawson at Red Bull in March as he believed the Japanese star could help them to develop the RB21. But Tsunoda admits he is ‘lost’ at Red Bull, having now failed to take a single point throughout the past five rounds.