Laurent Mekies Takes the Helm at Red Bull Racing Following….. Read more
In a significant shake-up at Red Bull Racing, the team has announced an immediate promotion for Laurent Mekies, who will assume the role of CEO for the remainder of the Formula 1 season after Christian Horner was relieved of his duties on Wednesday morning. Mekies, currently serving as Team Principal at the junior outfit, Racing Bulls, steps into the top leadership position amid an on-track and organizational restructuring.
The official statement released by the team reads:
“With immediate effect, Laurent Mekies will take over the duties of CEO at Red Bull Racing. As part of his change, Alan Permane, currently Racing Director, will be promoted to Team Principal at Racing Bulls.”
The announcement underscores a strategic promotion from within the Red Bull family, signaling the team’s confidence in Mekies’s leadership and the continuity of their competitive program.
Mekies’s Response and Vision for the Future
Reflecting on his career trajectory and the responsibility ahead, Mekies offered his perspective on the transition:
“The last year and a half has been an absolute privilege to lead the team with Peter [Bayer].”
“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. Alan [Permane] is the perfect man to take over now and continue our path. He knows the team inside out and has always been an important pillar of our early successes.”
These comments highlight Mekies’s gratitude for the collaborative foundation built with Bayer and the broader team, and suggest a commitment to not only maintaining but also building upon the momentum at Racing Bulls.
Mekies’s Distinguished Career Path
Laurent Mekies boasts a distinguished pedigree in motorsport, underpinned by steadily ascending roles and impactful contributions:
2002–2014: Minardi/Toro Rosso (2002–Engineered beginnings, 2006–Chief Engineer)
Mekies embarked on his Formula 1 career as a race engineer with Minardi in Faenza. Over the next twelve years, spanning the Minardi-to-Toro Rosso transition, he rose to become Chief Engineer. In this capacity, he steered all trackside operations—spanning car assembly to race-day execution—before assuming leadership over six departments as Head of Vehicle Performance, optimizing the car’s competitiveness.
2014–2018: FIA (Safety Director, then Deputy Race Director)
In the summer of 2014, Mekies moved to the FIA, taking the reins of safety and medical operations across FIA championships. His role further expanded to include research and development, homologation of circuit infrastructure, and road-car safety systems. By early 2017, he was elevated to Deputy Race Director, working directly with the late Charlie Whiting and taking the helm of sporting regulations across all FIA single-seater categories.
2018–2023: Scuderia Ferrari (Sporting Director → Head of Track & Performance → Racing Director)
Ferrari recruited Mekies in September 2018 as Sporting Director. He later absorbed responsibility for the Track & Performance division, overseeing engineering and performance systems—before being promoted to Racing Director in 2021. His tenure at Ferrari spanned strategies across car performance, track execution, and team operations at the pinnacle of Formula 1.
2023–2025: Racing Bulls & Red Bull (Principal Roles)
After parting ways with Ferrari in mid-2023, Mekies assumed the leadership of Racing Bulls, where he guided the junior team’s debut season with distinction. His track record at Racing Bulls evidently made him the ideal candidate to take charge at Red Bull Racing—a testament to the team’s strategy of fostering leadership from within.
Alan Permane’s Promotion: A Steady Hand for the Juniors
Refocusing on the reshuffle, the transition also elevates Alan Permane. The veteran engineer, previously Racing Director at Racing Bulls, is set to take over as Team Principal there. Mekies praised Permane as “the perfect man to take over now and continue our path,” crediting his intimate knowledge of the team and longstanding role in its early successes.
This simultaneous promotion suggests a smooth handover and a shared culture of performance across both teams—signaling stability, continuity, and careful leadership succession planning within the Red Bull ecosystem.
What This Means for Red Bull’s F1 Campaign
Mekies’s move to the top seat comes amid a fast-paced and high-stakes season for Red Bull Racing. Known for their dominant performance, the team now places its faith in Mekies’s deep technical knowledge, extensive leadership experience, and proven track record at Toro Rosso and with the FIA. His appointment reflects Red Bull’s enduring commitment to performance as well as strategic promotion from within their development ranks.
The duo of Mekies at Red Bull and Permane at Racing Bulls positions both teams for a unified approach to talent development, technology sharing, and race strategy.
As the season unfolds, all eyes will be on how Mekies’s technical expertise and leadership vision translate into results on the circuit—and how Permane steers Racing Bulls toward further success under his stewardship.
