Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has been sacked by Red Bull Racing following 20 years of service. This move follows months of rumoured tension within the Red Bull camp.
With immediate effect, Laurent Mekies has been announced as the new Chief Executive Officer of Red Bull Racing. The former Racing Bulls team boss will now oversee operations at the senior Red Bull team. Alan Permane, currently Racing Director, will step into Mekies’ former role as Team Principal at Racing Bulls.
This move from Red Bull marks the start of a new beginning. As several rumours have been circulating about the future of Verstappen, this could mark a new chapter for the Red Bull team, ending the ever-successful Verstappen era.
Thoughts from Mekies
Mekies has been a crucial figure in Red Bull’s junior team of Racing Bulls over the previous season. The Frenchman helped lead the rebranded Racing Bulls through a period of transformation.
Mekies expressed his excitement with the promotion, stating:
“The last year and a half has been an absolute privilege to lead the team with Peter. 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.”
In another move, Alan Permane has replaced Mekies at the junior Racing Bulls team. The seasoned F1 personality has had previous stints at Alpine/Renault before joining Red Bull in 2024. He remains excited about the opportunity with VCARB.
“I feel very honoured to take on the role as Team Principal and would like to thank Oliver and Helmut for the trust they have shown in me,” Permane stated.
“I am looking forward to working with Peter to continue the good work that both him and Laurent have done in taking this team forward. This is a new challenge for me, but I know that I can count on the support of everyone within them.”
