Steiner credits Mekies' calm leadership for Red Bull's revival after Horner's exit

Guenther Steiner has credited Laurent Mekies’ unflappable leadership style as the driving force behind Red Bull Racing’s resurgence, pointing to Verstappen’s dominant victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia as proof that the team has turned a corner following a turbulent period of personnel upheaval.

Mekies took over as Red Bull Racing CEO and team principal in July 2025, replacing Christian Horner. His appointment came amid a wave of high-profile departures from the Milton Keynes outfit, including Adrian Newey, Helmut Marko, and Jonathan Wheatley. On top of managing that instability, Mekies also steered the team through the introduction of its new power units — developed by Red Bull Powertrains in collaboration with Ford — and the sweeping regulation changes of 2026. Red Bull currently sits fourth in the constructors’ championship.

Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast after the race at the Sepang International Circuit, Steiner was unambiguous in his admiration. “He inherited a team a little bit out of control,” the former Haas boss said. “Good old Laurent just worked it out, always friendly, always with a smile, always polite. He never threw the toys out of the pram when Max Verstappen shouted, ‘This is not acceptable.’ He just worked along.”

Steiner argued that Mekies’ contribution had gone largely unrecognised amid the noise surrounding Horner’s exit. “Everybody just criticised, ‘Oh, Christian is gone…’ No, he came in, no ego involved, he just did a solid, good job. They won a race in quite a dominant fashion, so fair play to him.”

When pressed on what specifically Mekies brings to the role, Steiner pointed to a combination of broad experience and an ability to block out external pressure. “He is never overreacting, always finding a way to address if there is a problem, and just shutting out the noise from outside, which is an art in itself,” Steiner said. “Over the years, Laurent just learned, ‘I do the best I can. I don’t get disturbed by the noise from outside. I just do my job.’”

Verstappen’s win at Sepang — his first of the 2026 season and the first victory for the Red Bull Powertrains project — provided a tangible marker of the team’s progress under Mekies’ stewardship, even as they continue to chase the pace of the frontrunners in the constructors’ standings.