Ralf Schumacher takes another dig at Horner in support of Mekies

09:13, 16 Jul

Updated: 09:33, 16 Jul

byTobia Elia

Ralf Schumacher explained why, in his view, Red Bull’s decision to replace Christian Horner with Laurent Mekies represents “a great decision.”

With Christian Horner’s era at Red Bull now over, everyone has started wondering what his successor, Laurent Mekies, will be capable of.

The Frenchman faces the biggest challenge of his career so far, with a twofold task: on one hand, to convince Max Verstappen to stay in the near future, and on the other, to rebuild a team that in recent months has literally crumbled amid performance issues and significant staff departures.

So why did the Milton Keynes team decide to bet on a relatively inexperienced figure like Mekies as team principal, even though he can still boast extensive Formula 1 experience in various areas?

Laurent Mekies

Schumacher believes Mekies is the right man for Red Bull

Asked what makes a team principal a good leader in the latest episode of the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, Ralf Schumacher replied: ''First of all, the ambition – and you can really see that. Stella has it, and so does Mekies.''

''And then there’s his experience. Where does he come from? He’s been through the entire system, even in the lower ranks. He spent a long time at Minardi, then at what was AlphaTauri, and later at Ferrari. You have to give him credit – his heart is in the right place.''

''That’s an important factor, too. What’s the point of being a king if you don’t have any subjects willing to work with you? That’s something he’s really good at. He knows how to connect with people, how to build a team.''

''And in Formula 1, that’s what it all comes down to in the end – pure teamwork. Red Bull has definitely made a great decision."

.According to Schumacher, with Mekies’ arrival, even Racing Bulls might now enjoy greater recognition in the eyes of Red Bull: ''It’s going to be a huge task for Mekies and the entire team around him. Now it’s really all about recruitment: where can we find the right people? Maybe even from Racing Bulls, since their car is currently performing well.''

''Perhaps there’s even a chance to collaborate more openly now, because I don’t think that ever worked particularly well under Christian Horner, who was very narrowly focused on Red Bull Racing alone. Maybe this new setup can help unlock more potential within the team."