Red Bull Racing’s Secret Weapon? An Engineer Who Treats Workflows Like Lap Times

Editorial Desk, World Business Magazine — Sports & Technology November 13, 2025

Backstage at Web Summit, a production crew member towers over Laurent Mekies, throws a hefty arm around the Oracle Red Bull Racing CEO, and guides him to the soundboard for a selfie. Many leaders of organizations with 2,000 employees might find this overly casual. Mekies, however, simply grins and obliges, unfazed by the enthusiastic fan.

It’s a brief exchange, but it offers insight into Mekies, who just four months ago became only the second person to lead Red Bull Racing in its two‑decade history.

“My first reaction is feeling privileged, feeling honored, to suddenly join such an extraordinary team,” Mekies later shares on stage, his English tinged with a French accent. “This team has achieved more victories than any other in Formula One over the last twenty years. And now, I’m part of it.”

From Engineer to CEO

The call came suddenly in July. Christian Horner, Red Bull’s outspoken leader since 2005, was gone. Mekies, who had led the team’s sister squad Racing Bulls for just over a year, was chosen to take the reins.

Unlike Horner, who thrived in the media spotlight, Mekies built his career in engineering. His strategy for success is rooted in technical foundations: improvements in aerodynamics, tire technology, and streamlining workflows. That mindset now shapes Red Bull’s collaborations, including with cybersecurity firm 1Password.

At first glance, a partnership between an F1 team and a cybersecurity company seems unusual. But Mekies insists it’s essential. “Our staff need to access and switch between complex systems — aerodynamics, vehicle dynamics, simulators, wind tunnels — seamlessly and securely. Today, they can move faster than before, all while maintaining security.”

In Formula 1, milliseconds matter. “You’re always seeking out the smallest competitive edge,” Mekies explains. “With 1Password, we’ve cut down on organizational noise, freeing up more time for core work. That’s where real performance comes from.”

A Career Built on Precision

At 48, Mekies has experienced nearly every facet of Formula 1. After studying at ESTACA in Paris and Loughborough University in the UK, he began in Formula 3 before joining Arrows in 2001. By 2003, he was at Minardi as a race engineer. When Red Bull acquired Minardi in 2006 and rebranded it as Toro Rosso, Mekies became chief engineer.

He later served as safety director at the FIA, where he championed the titanium “halo” cockpit device, before joining Ferrari as deputy race director. In 2024, he returned to Red Bull’s junior team, renamed Racing Bulls, before stepping into the top job at Oracle Red Bull Racing.

Despite his résumé, Mekies remains humble. When Verstappen clinched the 2025 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, reporters asked about his role. He replied, “I have zero contribution.” He later explained, “As leaders, our job is to put our people in a position to showcase their abilities. It’s really their victory.”

Bold Decisions and High Stakes

That humility doesn’t mean avoiding tough calls. The Monza victory justified Mekies’ bold decision to continue developing the 2025 car rather than shifting focus to next year’s model. “We weren’t satisfied with our car’s performance early this year,” he says. “We chose to keep pushing with the 2025 car. We didn’t think we could just move on and hope everything would improve next year.”

It was a gamble. With major regulation changes coming in 2026, most teams had already redirected efforts to next year’s car. But Mekies believed Red Bull needed to fully understand its issues before moving forward. “Maybe we pushed harder than some competitors. Fortunately, it paid off.”

Now, as the team heads into winter with less development time than rivals, they do so “with much greater confidence in our tools, our methods, and our processes,” Mekies says.

Driving Into 2026

If 2025 was a turnaround, 2026 is shaping up to be, in Mekies’ words, a “crazy adventure.” Red Bull is building its own power unit for the first time, in collaboration with Ford. “We’ll be competing against companies that have been making Formula One engines for over 90 years. It’s the kind of ambitious project only Red Bull would attempt.”

Facilities have been built from scratch in Milton Keynes, UK, dynos installed, 600 staff hired — all to produce an engine ready for the track. Mekies is realistic: “It would be naive to think we’ll immediately be at the top. But we approach it the Red Bull way — high risk, high reward.”

Currently third in the 2025 team standings, just behind Mercedes, Red Bull has a chance to overtake them in the final three races. For Mekies, the focus remains simple. “We take it one race at a time. Get the car into its optimal performance window, and compete for the win. We’re chasing lap times.”