Toto Wolff is not ‘super happy’ that Laurent Mekies replaced Christian Horner at Red Bull

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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff might have his work cut out coming up against his Red Bull counterpart Laurent Mekies this season.

There’s a good chance that Mercedes and Red Bull will once again be battling it out at the front of the grid in 2026.

Many people are backing George Russell as the favourite to win the championship this year, and anyone who counts out Max Verstappen before the campaign has even started is playing a risky game.

Leading up to the start of the season, every team has been playing politics with Toto Wolff and Mercedes at the centre of an engine compression ratio controversy.

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F1’s engine rules will change mid-season, while Red Bull have impressed with their new power unit during pre-season testing.

Wolff’s rivalry with Christian Horner was an iconic part of many F1 seasons, especially when Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were battling for championships.

However, commentator Nelson Valkenburg and journalist Tim Hauraney believe that Wolff could have an even more difficult task up against Laurent Mekies this season.

READ MORE: All you need to know about Mercedes F1 CEO and team principal Toto Wolff

Laurent Mekies’ understanding of FIA rules could make him Toto Wolff’s toughest opponent

Speaking on the Nailing the Apex Podcast about the team principals, Valkenburg said: “I think Toto will miss Horner because I think Mekies, with his intricate knowledge of how the FIA works and his technical understanding and his lack of needing the spotlight, might be a more difficult adversary for Toto Wolff than Christian Horner.

“Christian Horner, he’ll understand. He knows what he’s got. He doesn’t know what Mekies is doing behind the scenes.

“So, I’m not certain Toto is super happy Horner isn’t there.”

Hauraney replied: “And this one did kind of get played out in public, too.

“I mean, when I was standing over by Red Bull Racing waiting to talk to Laurent Mekies, Toto Wolff had pulled him aside in the middle of the paddock, and he was letting him know he wasn’t happy.

“It was a pretty animated discussion between the two of them.”

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When asked if Mekies looked flustered afterwards, Hauraney continued: “No, not at all. Like, even when he came over to sit down to chat, I kind of said to him, that looked like quite the conversation.

“So he was like, ‘Oh yeah, it was something.’ I was like, ‘It looked like something!’

“But yeah, he didn’t seem flustered by it whatsoever.”

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

Toto Wolff has already praised the ‘pragmatism’ of Laurent Mekies at Red Bull

Red Bull’s performance improved very quickly after Mekies replaced Horner last year, although he refused to take credit for their uptick in form.

Verstappen came agonisingly close to winning the championship, and Mekies praised his star driver for taking on additional responsibility last year.

This season will be the first time that Mekies can have a major input on Red Bull’s competitiveness, and as Valkenburg suggests, his engineering background and previous role within the FIA could prove very useful.

Speaking after Horner’s exit from Red Bull last season, via Autosport, Wolff said: “It’s a bit ambivalent because, A, his track record is very good – one of the most successful in Formula 1.

“So, clearly, there are things he’s done well. Within the team, I think he was, to a certain degree, respected in Milton Keynes.

“But then we didn’t often have the same opinion or perspective. So, he’s been a wonderful, great enemy over the years.

“Am I missing him? It’s quite strange to come here, and Christian’s not going to be around. I mean, what are you doing with him not around? That’s a bit weird.

“And then you have the pragmatism of Laurent Mekies. Suddenly, you can have a conversation about the long term. We’re just totally different people, but even your biggest enemy is your best friend.”