Major Leadership Shakeup at Red Bull Racing: Director Steps Down, Mekies Consolidates Control
Red Bull Racing — one of Formula 1’s most prominent and competitive teams — has experienced yet another notable shift at the top of its organisational structure. In a move that further consolidates power under the team’s current operational leader, Stefan Salzer, who had been listed as a statutory director of Red Bull Racing and Red Bull Technology, has now stepped down from those posts. With Salzer’s departure effective November 26, 2025, Laurent Mekies is now left as the sole director overseeing Red Bull’s core Formula 1 entities — a decisive evolution in the team’s leadership following months of transition and upheaval.
Salzer’s tenure as a director was brief and largely procedural. He was appointed earlier in 2025 — not because of a motorsport background — but because Red Bull needed someone to fill legal and governance requirements during a sensitive interim period. Before joining the Red Bull group in 2007, Salzer had built a corporate career in business and human resources, including time at BP in Austria, but he had no significant racing experience. As a result, his contributions were considered mainly administrative, rather than influential in sporting or technical operations.
While his appointment did not attract much attention on the track, it was part of a broader transition plan within the Red Bull hierarchy. That plan has now come full circle with his resignation as director, signalling the end of the transitional phase and a clearer delineation of leadership within the team. The departure also underscores how Red Bull is moving forward from what was arguably one of the most turbulent periods in its recent history.
The Background: A Team in Flux
To fully appreciate the significance of Salzer’s exit and Mekies’ strengthened position, it helps to understand the broader context of Red Bull’s internal changes in 2025. Earlier in the year, Red Bull made a stunning decision to relieve Christian Horner — a defining figure in the team’s modern era — of his duties as team principal and CEO. Horner had held those positions since the team entered Formula 1 in 2005, and under his leadership Red Bull grew from a fledgling grid entrant into a powerhouse, winning eight Drivers’ Championships and six Constructors’ Championships.
However, that era came to an abrupt end on 9 July 2025, when Red Bull announced Horner’s immediate removal from operational leadership. The official statement from the team confirmed that Horner was “released from his operational duties with effect from today,” and that Laurent Mekies would take over as CEO of Red Bull Racing. In accompanying statements, the Red Bull management formally thanked Horner for “his exceptional work over the last 20 years.”
Horner’s exit occurred amid a difficult season for Red Bull on the track — one where the team’s form had dipped compared to recent dominance, and internal tensions reportedly surfaced. Though Horner had overseen some of the most successful years in the team’s history, the shift in leadership was widely seen as an effort to reset direction, enhance performance, and streamline organisational focus.
Mekies, previously the team principal at Red Bull’s sister outfit Racing Bulls, stepped into the role with immediate effect. This change not only elevated Mekies to the helm of one of F1’s biggest operations but also initiated a broader reshuffling of personnel across the Red Bull family. Alan Permane, who had been racing director, was promoted to take Mekies’ former role at Racing Bulls, helping to maintain continuity across both teams.
Mekies in Control
Since that dramatic reshuffle, Mekies’ role has expanded steadily. He now holds the directorship of Red Bull Racing, Red Bull Technology, and Red Bull Powertrains — the entity responsible for the team’s engine program and preparations for the new 2026 regulations. By concentrating these critical parts of the organisation under a single statutory director, Red Bull has created a more unified leadership structure than it had during the interim phase with Salzer on the board.
Having one leader in charge of racing operations, technology development, and powertrain strategy could provide clearer strategic alignment at a time when the team faces growing competition and significant technical shifts in the sport. For Mekies, this consolidation of authority not only confirms his importance to Red Bull’s future but also places him at the centre of the team’s efforts to return to championship contention.
What This Means Going Forward
Salzer’s departure may not be as headline-grabbing as Horner’s ousting earlier in 2025, but it represents a continuation of Red Bull’s evolution. The removal of a transitional director and the solidification of Mekies’ leadership suggest the team is leaving uncertainty behind and focusing on long-term stability and coherent governance.
For fans and commentators, these developments reflect Red Bull’s recognition that internal structure matters just as much as performance on the track. While Formula 1 success ultimately comes down to engineering excellence, driver skill, and race strategy, organisational stability — especially at the highest levels — plays a crucial role in sustaining a championship-winning program. With Mekies now firmly in charge of key divisions, Red Bull’s leadership is clearer and more centralized than it has been in recent months.
Whether this streamlined model bears fruit in future seasons remains to be seen. The team will be under pressure to deliver strong results — both in terms of championship standings and internal cohesion — as the sport continues to evolve with new technical regulations and intense competition. What is certain, however, is that Red Bull has made a clear statement with its leadership choices: it is moving forward under a unified command, with Laurent Mekies at the centre of its strategy.
