Red Bull F1 boss Mekies gets new deal to 2031 — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Red Bull extended team principal Laurent Mekies' contract through the end of 2031, rewarding his takeover from Christian Horner, who was sacked in summer 2025 after 20 years leading the team.
- Mekies guided the team through a turnaround after a difficult start to the 2026 season, with Max Verstappen taking dominant victories in the last two races in Malaysia and Singapore.
- Verstappen had already extended his own contract by two years to the end of 2030 less than two months before the Mekies announcement.
- Christian Horner told the Times that Red Bull had 'lost its mojo, its presence, its vibe' shortly before Verstappen's back-to-back wins.
- Red Bull shareholders Chalerm Yoovidhya and Mark Mateschitz said Mekies 'played a crucial role in guiding the team through an important period of transition while maintaining the competitive spirit.'
- Oliver Mintzlaff, Red Bull's CEO of corporate projects and investments, framed the deal as continuity-driven: 'Continuity in leadership is a key ingredient for sustained success.'
Why it matters: Mekies' extension locks in leadership continuity through Verstappen's own contract expiring in 2030, giving Red Bull stability across the 2026 regulation-change season that began poorly but has produced back-to-back wins. The timing also functions as an implicit answer to Christian Horner's claim that Red Bull had 'lost its mojo.'
Ask SkimNews
