Overview

• Christian Horner was relieved of his duties as Red Bull Racing team principal and CEO earlier this month, ending his unbroken attendance at 406 Grands Prix.
• On his first F1-free Sunday since 2005, Horner posted an Instagram story of himself horse riding in the UK under the caption “Different horse power this Sunday.”
• Laurent Mekies stepped up from sister squad Racing Bulls to debut as Red Bull’s principal and CEO at the Belgian Grand Prix with a narrowed focus on race operations.
• Senior advisor Helmut Marko confirmed that Mekies’s authority has been intentionally reduced by Red Bull GmbH to concentrate decision-making on on-track performance.
• Mekies’s immediate priority is to secure Max Verstappen’s commitment under his contract through 2028 and sustain the team’s constructors’ and drivers’ title drive.