Laurent Mekies rejects Christian Horner’s verdict on Red Bull

Laurent Mekies has rejected Christian Horner’s claim that Red Bull has “lost its mojo”. The team boss argues instead that its collective spirit has helped fuel a remarkable turnaround after a particularly difficult period.

Horner left the team in July 2025 after two decades in charge. Last week, he was promoting his memoir, Drive. In an interview with The Times, the Briton said Red Bull had lost “its mojo, its presence, its vibe” since his departure.

Asked about the comments at the team principals’ press conference in Mexico City, Mekies replied: “Christian is entitled to his opinion. He has obviously spent a lot of time in this team and I respect his point of view.” He then made clear that he disagreed: “We certainly feel extremely differently about the vibe in the team. One of our strong points in recent months has been the incredible team spirit that has allowed us to come back from an objectively very difficult moment.”

The Red Bull boss acknowledged that the start of the year had been challenging both on the chassis side and with the power unit. He stressed the team’s ability to stay united under pressure: “It is one thing to have a positive spirit when you are winning races; it is another to keep that fighting spirit and unity when you are under pressure.” Mekies also praised the commitment of the Milton Keynes department and the drivers’ candid comments. In his view, that response reflects “the Red Bull spirit”.

Mekies called the turnaround “very remarkable”, while noting that the team ultimately lives and dies by its results. Red Bull is third in the constructors’ standings on 355 points, 252 behind Mercedes, with five rounds remaining this season. “The target is not to win one race or two races; the target is to be back to world titles,” he said, adding that nobody would feel the team had achieved anything until it got there.

The debate over the team’s momentum comes as Red Bull awaits a change in infrastructure. Mekies confirmed that its new wind tunnel would not be operational before some point in the 2027 season.

Mekies also acknowledged that the team is probably working with the oldest wind tunnel on the grid, despite the results it has produced. Red Bull won four consecutive drivers’ titles with Max Verstappen between 2021 and 2024 using the Bedford facility. Mekies expects the new tunnel to offer an advantage, but not immediately: it should give the team’s aerodynamic specialists new ways to develop their ideas.