Mekies rejects Horner’s claim that Red Bull lost its mojo

Laurent Mekies has rejected Christian Horner’s claim that Red Bull lost its mojo after Horner’s departure. Mekies says he sees the team’s spirit as stronger than ever and credits it with helping Red Bull recover from a difficult start to 2026.

Horner was sacked as Red Bull’s team principal and CEO in July 2025, with Mekies taking over. Horner has since said the team lost its presence and vibe. He described the atmosphere in his final period at Red Bull as unhappy and volatile, and said executives had told him the operation had come to be seen as Christian Horner Racing rather than Red Bull Racing.

Mekies said Horner was entitled to his opinion and that he respected Horner’s point of view. But Mekies said the team felt very differently about its atmosphere, crediting the team spirit of recent months with helping Red Bull through a very difficult period.

Red Bull’s first half of 2026 was marked by chassis and power-unit deficits, chronic start problems and radio issues. Mekies described the period as challenging on both the chassis and power-unit sides and said the team stuck together under pressure. He also cited Red Bull’s late-2025 turnaround, which saw Verstappen miss out on a fifth drivers’ title by two points.

Red Bull’s 2026 revival followed a sluggish start under the new regulations and included Verstappen’s wins in Singapore and Malaysia. Mekies said those victories do not amount to mission accomplished: Red Bull’s target is to return to winning world titles, not simply to win one or two races.