Overview

• On July 9, Red Bull GmbH CEO Oliver Mintzlaff officially dismissed Christian Horner, thanking him for two decades at the helm and eight world titles.
• Laurent Mekies has taken over as team principal with a narrow mandate focused solely on racing performance.
• Dr. Helmut Marko and Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali have publicly cited a slump in results as the catalyst for the leadership change.
• Under Mekies’s watch, Max Verstappen won Saturday’s Spa sprint but has yet to finalize a contract extension beyond 2026 despite indicating a desire to stay.
• Team ownership denied that Verstappen’s family influenced the decision, insisting the move was driven by parent-company management.