Laurent Mekies joined Red Bull‘s Formula 1 family in 2006 when he was promoted to chief engineer at Scuderia Toro Rosso, after the energy drinks giant bought Minardi.
Nearly 20 years later, Mekies has been named as Red Bull Racing’s new CEO, replacing the sacked Christian Horner, having led junior team Racing Bulls to a competitive position on the F1 grid.
It’s unlikely that 48-year-old Mekies had imagined he would end up in that role when he got his Toro Rosso promotion, and the road to get there has been far from a straight line.
Born in France in 1977, he studied engineering at the elite French engineering university ESTACA and finished his education in England at Loughborough University.
Laurent Mekies’ early F1 career
He started working in racing in Formula 3 with Asiatech in 2000 before graduating, a few years later, to F1 with Arrows.
He then moved to Minardi, working as race engineer with the likes of Mark Webber and Justin Wilson. When Red Bull bought Minardi at the end of 2005 and turned it into Scuderia Toro Rosso, Mekies stayed on, slowly climbing through the ranks.
A young Mekies on the grid with Toro Rosso in 2008
Grand Prix Photo
Initially working as chief engineer, Mekies later became head of vehicle performance, overseeing technical operations and car development.
Mekies’ move to the FIA
In 2014, the Frenchman decided on a career change; one that brought him closer to the frontlines after several years in behind-the-scenes positions.
He was appointed as FIA safety director, becoming responsible for safety and medical matters across all the governing body’s championships, and was a key figure in the development and introduction of the halo safety device.
In 2017, he became F1 deputy race director, working closely with the race director Charlie Whiting, and helping manage sporting regulations and race operations.
Sporting director at Ferrari
After four years at the FIA, Mekies returned to F1 team life in 2018 with Ferrari, where he was appointed sporting director. He was gradually rewarded with increased responsibility and the following year took charge of the track and performance department.
In 2021, he was promoted to deputy team principal and racing director, working under Mattia Binotto.
Return to Faenza
Mekies spent almost three years in the role before he was offered the chance to return to Faenza, this time to lead AlphaTauri as its team principal for the start of the 2024 season, replacing retiring boss Franz Tost.
In true Mekies fashion, it was a low-key appointment.
Mekies and Binotto worked together at Ferrari
At AlphaTauri, he was tasked with modernising, stabilising and restructuring the junior team, and he did so without fuss.
Mekies tightened the technical collaboration with Red Bull while preserving independence, helping the team that today is called Racing Bulls become a consistent midfield performer that currently sits seventh in the standings.
“The last year and a half has been an absolute privilege to lead the team with Peter [Bauer],” said Mekies in a statement announcing his exit to join Red Bull. “It has been an amazing adventure to contribute to the birth of Racing Bulls together with all our talented people.
“The spirit of the whole team is incredible, and I strongly believe that this is just the beginning.”
Replacing Horner, Mekies will face a different kind of challenge and his quiet style will face the ultimate test.
From Sebastian Vettel to sexting: the rise and fall of F1's greatest pantomime villain
By
Pablo Elizalde
It is, in many ways, the most unfortunate time for someone like Mekies to take over the leadership of Red Bull: the car is not competitive enough, Max Verstappen‘s future seems uncertain, and it’s just six months before the 2026 car and new engine have to take to the track.
Mekies inherits a fractured organisation in need of healing ahead of a crucial technical overhaul that could define the competitiveness of the team for years to come.
Horner was an outspoken defender of his team as well as a key political player, but Mekies’ style is likely to be very different, as he appears to be a lot less interested in headlines. The Frenchman is not a man Netflix will want to be following to grab an opportunistic soundbite for Drive to Survive.
With Mekies, Red Bull’s loud era appears to be over. But as the team rebuilds and reinvents itself, his quiet approach might be just what Red Bull needs.
