New Crimson Bull group principal Laurent Mekies says it “still feels unreal” to exchange Christian Horner as he spoke for the primary time since touchdown the function.
Mekies, who was Racing Bulls boss, is barely Crimson Bull’s second group principal as Horner had been in cost since they joined the grid in 2005, main them to 6 drivers and eight constructors’ titles.
The Frenchman started his F1 profession on the Arrows group within the early 2000s earlier than switching to Minardi, which was purchased by Crimson Bull in 2005 and rebranded as Toro Rosso.
He joined the FIA as security director in 2014 and deputy race director in 2017, then made the swap to Ferrari in 2018 as sporting director, and later deputy group principal, earlier than returning to the Crimson Bull household at the beginning of 2024 as group principal at Racing Bulls.
“It still feels unreal to be here and not to see him [Horner],” stated Mekies on a deliberate filming day for Crimson Bull at Silverstone on Thursday.
“It will be inconceivable to underestimate the dimensions of the achievement this group has had below 20 years of Christian’s management.
“I met him 20 years in the past when he was the youngest group principal in F1 and it is unbelievable to see how he is turned this place to the extent it’s now.
“That journey, the many titles and wins. Christian is also the guy, with Helmut [Marko] and Oliver {Mintzlaff] that brought me back to the Red Bull family two years ago. All the first thoughts are with him today.”
Laurent Mekies met his new Crimson Bull group at Silverstone on Thursday on a deliberate filming day utilizing the 2025 automotive (Crimson Bull Content material Pool)
Mekies: Crimson Bull not underestimating problem forward
Since dominating the 2023 season and the early levels of 2024, Crimson Bull have been caught and overtaken by McLaren within the pecking order.
Max Verstappen nonetheless managed to win a fourth consecutive Drivers’ Championship final 12 months however is 69 factors behind Oscar Piastri on this 12 months’s title race.
Crimson Bull have had points with their second seat for the final six years after Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and now Yuki Tsunoda have all largely struggled as team-mates to Verstappen.
Their automotive benefit in 2022 and 2023 meant they received the Constructors’ Championship however the deficit between Verstappen and his team-mates has brought on main issues once they haven’t had one of the best automotive.
Crimson Bull are additionally taking up the main problem of making their very own engine, with the assistance of Ford, for subsequent 12 months’s regulation change, which Mekies introduced up in his first interview for the group.
“I look at this team as most outside look at them, we see the very best people in the world at what they do,” he stated.
“That is what this group is, even from being a competitor beforehand you take a look at Crimson Bull Racing as being the sharpest group, having managed to build up one of the best expertise to work collectively.
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Following his sacking after 20 years as group principal, Christian Horner gave an emotional goodbye to the Crimson Bull employees and says it was the largest privilege of his life
“It is a privilege to join the team and the focus will be on making sure all the talented people here have what they need to perform at their best, because they are already the very best.
“We shall be focussing on that and ensuring the Crimson Bull power is flowing by way of the group. We’re not underestimating the problem forward, we are going to want everyone and we are going to go about it collectively and I’m positive with everybody’s contributions we are going to sort out this problem.”
F1 takes a brief break before the season resumes at the Belgian Grand Prix as the Sprint format returns, live on Sky Sports F1 on July 25-27. Stream Sky Sports activities with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime.
