On 9 July 2025, the information of Christian Horner’s shock ousting as Crimson Bull Racing’s F1 boss despatched shockwaves by the paddock.
Bringing an finish to a 20-year interval which yielded two dominant, title profitable dynasties, Horner was eliminated following a protracted political battle inside Crimson Bull, with a big selection of dominoes all contributing to a sensational finish end result.
In got here Laurent Mekies, a well-regarded determine previously heading up sister group Racing Bulls, as Crimson Bull Austria opted to run a tighter ship, fairly than letting one determine amass whole management over Milton Keynes.
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Evolution, not revolution
When Mekies acquired his toes underneath the desk, his first level of order was to get the lay of the land fairly than push by drastic modifications. A clear break suggests Crimson Bull wanted to begin from scratch, however that clearly wasn’t the case. The big majority of the individuals who made Crimson Bull profitable in 2022 have been nonetheless there, and it will additionally promote Horner’s personal monumental contributions brief.
It additionally took Mekies time to know what made a group of over 1000 workers tick, and the place he may make refined enhancements to get one of the best out of them. “I nonetheless have a look at these guys as most individuals outdoors of the group have a look at them,” Mekies mentioned in his first public announcement since taking up the position. “We have a look at you guys and we see the easiest folks on this planet at what they do. The main focus will actually be on ensuring that every one the proficient folks right here have what they should carry out at their greatest, as a result of they’re already the easiest.”
That did not imply Mekies did not make any modifications, particularly trackside. Regardless of refusing to take credit score, Mekies did deliver a extra engineering oriented strategy, and requested his engineers the fitting questions. “I do like how Laurent is working, very motivated, consistently asking the fitting inquiries to me, but in addition to the group. I believe it is good to see,” Verstappen mentioned after a number of weekends of working underneath the Frenchman.
Laurent Mekies, Crimson Bull Racing Group Principal
Picture by: Clive Mason / Getty Photographs
Mekies was at the least partially credited with Crimson Bull discovering some options to its dealing with issues with the 2025 automobile, which enabled Verstappen to show up the warmth on McLaren till the bitter finish. It was a promising begin to the post-Horner period.
However at that stage Crimson Bull’s largest challenges nonetheless lay forward, within the type of the double whammy of 2026’s radical rules overhaul and the squad constructing its in-house energy items for the very first time, the brainchild of Horner.
Taking part in the political recreation as Crimson Bull turns into a producer
To Horner’s credit score, Crimson Bull Ford Powertrains, underneath former Mercedes man Ben Hodgkinson, has defied expectations with a potent V6 engine, whereas there’s nonetheless a number of work to be achieved on the electrical aspect and on the RB22’s begin process.
However it now additionally seems that Crimson Bull could be a sufferer of that early success, with it set to be frozen out of engine upgrades as its engine was decided to be essentially the most highly effective of the grid. Crimson Bull has disputed this and requested the FIA to fee an intensive assessment, however Motorsport.com understands that assessment has solely confirmed the governing physique’s preliminary findings and has been a irritating expertise.
Does Crimson Bull have the fitting to really feel aggrieved or has it been outmanoeuvred by the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes? Time will inform. However Horner was and nonetheless is a grasp politician and communicator, and amid the controversy over the 2026 guidelines and the ADUO improve scheme, one wonders if the previous boss would have had a unique strategy.
Fixing Crimson Bull’s second seat syndrome
If one good factor had come out of 2026 for Crimson Bull, it is that its second seat syndrome seems to be cured. Following a spread of drivers who struggled to make the seat alongside Verstappen their very own, Crimson Bull’s former junior driver Isack Hadjar has damaged that spell with a powerful begin to life at Crimson Bull Racing, confirming the moment efficiency he displayed on the satellite tv for pc group in his 2025 rookie marketing campaign. Hadjar took third on the grid at his first time of asking in Melbourne, and climbed the rostrum in Monaco even when that was later handed again to Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing, Isack Hadjar, Crimson Bull Racing
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Photographs by way of Getty Photographs
Hadjar having the ability to ship is extra doubtless the by-product of the all-new rules than something the group may have intentionally achieved, in addition to a credit score to the younger Frenchman’s psychological fortitude underneath the spotlights of the massive group.
Groundhog day as Max Verstappen rumours flare up and workers turnover continues
The great factor is that Hadjar is not considerably struggling extra for confidence and automobile stability than Verstappen. The dangerous information is that each drivers are going by it. And that has triggered inevitable hypothesis over the group’s prized asset.
It would not be an F1 season with out rumours linking Verstappen to rival group, or certainly an early F1 retirement over how a lot the Dutchman is disillusioned with the present rulebook. What the long run holds is one thing solely the four-time world champion is aware of, regardless of what consideration seekers on the web might profess to know.
However the job forward for Mekies is similar one because it was for Horner, and that is guaranteeing all circumstances are proper for Verstappen to see out his contract and for all these rumours to return to nothing.
Having back-to-back rear wing failures will not assist encourage confidence, and the group is now going by one other crunch to seek out significant options to its shortcomings, whether or not operationally or by way of pure efficiency.
This comes towards the backdrop of extra key Crimson Bull staffers both having left or heading to the exit door shortly. Since Horner’s ousting a yr in the past, the group additionally parked long-time Crimson Bull advisor Helmut Marko, whereas Verstappen’s long-time ally and race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase has signed a deal to go to McLaren by 2028 and Paul Monaghan appears set to depart for Cadillac.
Gianpiero Lambiase, Crimson Bull Racing
Picture by: Kym Illman / Getty Photographs
Is Crimson Bull’s mind drain actual or there’s an excessive amount of consideration on a few of its departures, merely due to their media profile? Maybe the reality is someplace within the center.
The secret hasn’t modified for Mekies although. The one factor that really issues is constructing the quickest automobile. And if not this yr, then placing all of the folks and instruments in place to make sure which you could subsequent yr.
If Mekies can reassure Verstappen that that is the case, and the Dutchman is not too fed up with F1 as an entire to do one thing else along with his life, then every part else will fall into place.
In case it nonetheless wanted to be mentioned, what issues to the Verstappens is similar factor that issues to each different driver. It is all about profitable. That was the case underneath Horner, and it nonetheless is 12 months on.
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