Mekies secures Red Bull contract until 2031, one year past Verstappen's deal
Red Bull has tied team principal Laurent Mekies to the team until the end of 2031, a deal announced on Wednesday, 14 October. Financial terms were not disclosed, and the agreement runs a year past Max Verstappen's contract.
Contract extension announced
Team principal Laurent Mekies now has a deal with Red Bull that runs to the end of 2031. The team announced it on Wednesday, 14 October, with shareholder Mark Mateschitz making the announcement during a team debrief at the Milton Keynes headquarters, according to a team statement. The 49-year-old Frenchman took over in July 2025 from Christian Horner, who had led the team since it entered Formula 1 in 2005. Financial terms were not disclosed. The Independent describes the agreement as a new five-year contract, and Mekies also serves as the team's CEO.
Driver deals and the season
The extension follows a run of contract decisions. Max Verstappen, a four-time world champion, extended his deal in August to the end of 2030, and Isack Hadjar was kept on for 2027 in September. Red Bull had a poor start to the 2026 season, but Verstappen won the last two grands prix, in Malaysia and Singapore. The team, in its first season with its own engines, also said it had signed key personnel for 2027 without naming them. Verstappen's contract ends one year before Mekies'.
- Laurent Mekies (team principal)
- 2031 year
- Max Verstappen (driver)
- 2030 year
Leadership changes since Horner's exit
Christian Horner was ousted after the 2025 British Grand Prix, at the age of 52, according to The Independent, which reports he has been linked with a return to Formula 1 and says he wants his next challenge. In an interview with the Times, he said Red Bull had 'lost its mojo, its presence, its vibe', and the BBC notes that Verstappen's two wins followed that interview. Longtime motorsport adviser Helmut Marko left at the end of 2025, Adrian Newey joined Aston Martin, and other senior figures have also departed over the past two years. In September the team said former Aston Martin performance director Tom McCullough will become head of racing from the start of 2027, replacing Gianpiero Lambiase, who is leaving for McLaren by the end of 2027.
- Laurent Mekies takes over as team principal from Christian Horner
- Max Verstappen extends his contract through 2030
- Isack Hadjar kept on for 2027
- Mekies contract extended through 2031, announced on Wednesday
Mekies' background and reaction
Mekies has worked in Formula 1 for more than 20 years, with senior roles at Minardi, Toro Rosso, the FIA and Ferrari, before returning to Red Bull in 2024 to run sister team Racing Bulls. In his statement he thanked the shareholders and staff, crediting technical directors Pierre Waché, who oversees the car, and Ben Hodgkinson, who leads the technical side of the engines. Verstappen lost the 2025 drivers' title by two points.
Oliver Mintzlaff, Red Bull's chief executive of corporate projects and investments, praised Mekies in a statement that said he had shown strong leadership since rejoining the group.
Laurent has demonstrated outstanding leadership since returning to the Red Bull family. He combines technical expertise, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of what makes our team successful.
Mintzlaff added that continuity in leadership is a key ingredient for sustained success. Mekies responded in his own statement.
I am incredibly proud to continue this journey with Red Bull Racing.
The joint statement from shareholders Chalerm Yoovidhya and Mark Mateschitz, whose families own Red Bull GmbH, said the extension reflects their confidence in his leadership.