Laurent Mekies didn’t even have time to put his headset down before reality set in.
Dropped into the big chair at Red Bull Racing after Christian Horner’s shock dismissal — a full stop on a 20-year era — Mekies arrived from Racing Bulls and got an instant sugar hit at Spa. Max Verstappen bullied past Oscar Piastri to win the Sprint, a brief jolt that suggested the old swagger might still be in there somewhere.
Sunday told a different story. Banking on a wet setup with heavy rain forecast, Red Bull watched as F1 race director Rui Marques pushed back the start until the worst of it had passed, then sent the field off behind the Safety Car. The reward for the strategic gamble? Fourth for Verstappen. Better than Hungary, sure — where Red Bull skated around on low grip and Verstappen salvaged ninth while Yuki Tsunoda’s points drought stretched to seven races — but not the tone-setting weekend this team is built on.
And that, says Giancarlo Minardi, is where Mekies’ real test begins.
“The previous race was a — let’s say — lucky race,” Minardi told Motorsport.com’s Italian edition. “But the real problem starts now, because now all the pieces need to fall into place. The small parts, the stomach ache, the bad atmosphere…”
Minardi’s point isn’t subtle: taking charge of a superteam mid-slump is messy, especially when you’re inheriting a vast operation where not everyone knows your name. “Imagine having to manage a team in the evening or at night — even with the experience you have — it’s really not easy. That’s why he deserves some recognition and time to grow into it.”
How much time? That’s the question nobody at Milton Keynes is answering. Red Bull hasn’t disclosed Mekies’ contract details, and the Frenchman wasn’t biting in his first FIA press conference at Spa.
“Not sure how much I can share,” he said. “I don’t think anyone doubts what Red Bull F1 is here to do… fight for wins and fight for championships. For the short term and the mid‑term, is it different to what it was yesterday? No. Does anyone have a contract that guarantees him to stay forever? No. I don’t either. But I think it’s pretty normal in Formula 1.”
The sprint win was a flicker. The workload is the headline. Red Bull’s margin has thinned, the factory’s mood needs managing, and the clock’s already ticking. Mekies doesn’t just have to steady the ship — he has to make it quick again. The hard yards start now.
