The Illusion of the Post-Horner Resurgence – Laurent Mekies’ honeymoon period as the team principal of Red Bull Racing is well and truly over. He was the beneficiary of an internal power struggle between the Austrian directors of the race team’s Austrian parent company, who wished Christian Horner to relinquish a significant amount of control as boss of the racing team.
Short-sighted analysis suggests that Mekies was the reason behind a Red Bull Racing resurgence after Horner’s departure, which saw Max Verstappen winning races in the second half of the season and coming within two points of claiming a fifth consecutive drivers’ world championship.
Yet the reality was that the all-new RB21 floor, which drove much of the late-season success for Max and his team, was in the pipeline sometime before the dismissal of Horner. Now Red Bull is languishing fourth in the constructors’ championship, a massive 205 points behind leaders Mercedes, with more than half of the 2026 season remaining.
Verstappen’s Slump and the Antonelli Dominance
Max Verstappen is in a shocking seventh place in the drivers’ title race, with just 76 points compared to championship leader Kimi Antonelli on 179—despite two recent Grands Prix finishing outside the points.
And now Mekies is facing another publicity hijack from the Verstappen camp, who are making it known they are exploring options for him to drive for another team next season. Max reportedly has a performance escape clause which would allow him to leave two years before his contract expires in 2028, but he only has to inform the team by mid-October.
The Contract Chess Board: Mercedes and McLaren Looms
Given Toto Wolff very publicly chased Verstappen last season while his senior driver George Russell was forced to wait several months before it was confirmed he would in fact remain at Mercedes for 2026, it appears the quadruple world champion does have options, with Russell again on just a one-year deal and Mercedes able to drop him at whim.
Yet the news coming into the British Grand Prix was that Verstappen’s representatives have been exploring the topic of a move to McLaren for 2027. CEO Zak Brown denied “talks” had taken place, although the brevity of his response left a variety of semantic interpretations open to the American’s response.
While Verstappen’s latest teammate, Isack Hadjar, has delivered far better than most of his predecessors, it is Max who is considered a generational talent who continues to be the banker for Red Bull Racing in terms of scoring points finishes.
The “Enzo Ferrari” Threat Matrix
Red Bull Racing without Verstappen is akin to Ferrari losing their iconic founder Enzo, and should he decide to leave the F1 team where he has competed his entire career, Mekies will be responsible for that occurrence.
The team brought a massive upgrade to the RB22 for the Austrian Grand Prix, and it appeared to improve the overweight chassis immediately, with Verstappen claiming a deserved second place in the Grand Prix. Yet come the next race weekend in Silverstone, Verstappen finished a disappointing sixth in the Sprint, and his car failed him again on Sunday, causing him to crash out at the high-speed Stowe corner.
Next time out in Spa, which is a similarly energy-starved circuit like Silverstone, the RB22 is not expected to challenge the front-runners at a venue where Verstappen has won on three occasions, and once again Mekies will be under scrutiny as to why the team is not making better progress.
From Trickle to Flood: The Real Brain Drain Begins
One of the criticisms which dogged Christian Horner was that Red Bull were suffering a brain drain, with Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley—senior figures within the team—choosing to move to Aston Martin and Audi respectively.
Yet the workforce was fiercely loyal to Horner, and following the shock announcement of his sacking, TJ13 was informed a significant number of CVs had appeared at newcomers Cadillac. The real brain drain is now occurring under Mekies’ leadership, with Craig Skinner—Chief Designer—announcing his departure before the start of this season.
Although the biggest shock was when Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero “GP” Lambiase confirmed this April he was leaving for McLaren. In one of the most shocking paddock movements, Max Verstappen’s famous right-hand man and Head of Racing signed a blockbuster future contract. He will officially jump ship to join rivals McLaren, completely dismantling the most successful driver-engineer partnership of the modern era.
The Cadillac Defections and the 2026 Compromise
At the British Grand Prix, lifer Paul “Pedals” Monaghan was conspicuous by his absence, fueling rumors he is preparing his exit from Red Bull Racing, with a move to Cadillac the talk of the paddock.
Red Bull Racing are also paying the price for the decision by Mekies to focus on the development of the 2025 car until late in the season. This compromised the available resources for 2026, with a huge rule change impending.
Should Verstappen decide to leave his Red Bull home, not only will it be a huge blow to the leadership authority of Laurent Mekies, but it will surely signal a further spiral down the standings for the once-dominant team which was formed from the ashes of Jaguar F1 racing.
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A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
With experience covering multiple seasons of Formula 1’s modern hybrid era, Andrew has developed a detailed understanding of how regulatory changes and competitive shifts influence the grid. Andrew’s editorial approach prioritises clarity and context, aiming to help readers navigate complex developments within the sport.
In addition to editorial duties, Andrew is particularly interested in how media narratives shape fan perception of Formula 1, and how reporting can balance speed with accuracy in an increasingly digital news environment.
