Newly appointed Red Bull CEO delivers touching farewell message to his former team

Yesterday, unexpectedly—though there had already been clear signs—Red Bull officially announced the immediate dismissal of Christian Horner, with the Leamington Spa manager stepping down from the leadership role he had built through hard work and dedication over the past 20 years.

The person tasked with filling the shoes of one of Formula 1’s most successful team principals will be Laurent Mekies.

He brings extensive experience in the sport, having worked with Toro Rosso, the FIA, and Ferrari, and starting in 2024 as team principal of Racing Bulls—returning to Faenza after his stint as sporting director in Maranello.

The challenge won’t be easy, especially with ongoing rumors surrounding Max Verstappen and an RB21 still struggling with clear performance issues. However, Mekies has already shown great promise leading the Faenza team and hopes to steer Red Bull out of the troubled waters it currently faces.

After being appointed as the new CEO and team principal of the Milton Keynes team, Mekies took a moment to thank his former team with a reel he posted on Instagram.

''What to say? A very big thank you from the bottom of my heart for the amazing support we got from you in this last year and a half of the adventure with Racing Bulls,'' he said.

Finally, he added: ''The road but more importantly I know the team will be in fantastic hands with Peter, with Alan, with everyone else that have made this team special. But this team was and is especially special because of you. So a big thank you and see you very soon.''