With Laurent Mekies stepping in as the new team principal, expectations are high for Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda to bring a renewed vigor to the remainder of the season.

Red Bull faces the critical challenge of rebounding during the remaining races of the season. With Horner departing from his roles as team principal and CEO, the team’s long-standing era of dominance and success is poised to enter a new chapter.

French engineer Mekies, stepping into Horner’s shoes, is presented with a formidable task in the races ahead. As someone familiar with the role, Mekies may offer a fresh perspective that could significantly impact Red Bull’s strategy and bolster Verstappen’s pursuit of another World Championship title.

Why is Christian Horner leaving Red Bull?

Christian Horner’s exit from Red Bull Racing comes after two decades of leadership at the helm. While specific details have not been officially disclosed, various reports hint at underlying tensions. Since the Imola Grand Prix, rumors have circulated about Horner’s discomfort with the team’s current trajectory.

Contributing factors may include Verstappen’s struggles to maintain a top position in the standings, Liam Lawson’s departure, and Yuki Tsunoda’s ongoing challenges. These elements are said to have potentially influenced the decision for Horner and Red Bull to go their separate ways.

Who is Laurent Mekies?

Appointed as the new team principal of Red Bull Racing, Laurent Mekies brings a wealth of experience to the role. Beginning his motorsport career in 2000, Mekies initially worked in various FIA categories, including Formula 3. His extensive experience eventually led him to enter the world of Formula 1 with the former Minardi team.

Mekies signed with Red Bull’s sister team, Toro Rosso, in 2005, where he spent nine impactful years before pursuing other opportunities. His career trajectory includes roles such as Safety Director at the FIA and Race Director in 2017. Mekies later joined Ferrari, where he worked in various departments until his departure in 2023. He signed with Red Bull Racing two years ago, ready to leverage his broad experience in enhancing the team’s performance.

Horner’s achievements as team principal

Over his 20-year tenure, Horner propelled Red Bull to the pinnacle of Formula 1, imprinting the team’s name in the sport’s annals. Under his leadership, the team clinched 6 Constructors’ Championships and 8 Drivers’ Championships, with Sebastian Vettel capturing four titles and Max Verstappen securing another four. Red Bull celebrated 124 race victories and amassed 287 podium finishes during Horner’s era, firmly establishing his legacy in the high-octane world of Formula 1.

Reflecting on the season’s outset, there were murmurs about the RB21’s drivability issues. Verstappen, however, initially managed the car with no apparent difficulties, contrasting with his early-season teammate Liam Lawson, who struggled with the car’s demands.

By the third race, Red Bull made a strategic change, replacing Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda. Unfortunately, this adjustment did not yield the results Team Principal Christian Horner had envisioned. Tsunoda’s tenure has seen the second Red Bull car consistently finishing at the back of the pack this season.

While the recent setback in Austria was not entirely the team’s doing, there have been multiple instances where Red Bull has fallen short in supporting Verstappen’s contest against the McLaren drivers. Under these circumstances, reports suggest that the Dutch driver has potentially made a decision about his future in Formula 1.

According to AutoSport, reports from Italy speculate that Verstappen has made up his mind to join Mercedes next season. However, AutoSport clarifies that no decision has been finalized. “AutoSport understands that nothing has been decided yet regarding Max Verstappen’s future in F1, despite ongoing discussions with Mercedes and reports in Italy suggesting a deal is close,“ they noted on their social media platform.

Verstappen rumors intensify

It’s not just AutoSport buzzing about a potential shift from Red Bull to Mercedes for Verstappen. Sky Sports Italy has reported that an agreement might already be in place. With the British Grand Prix on the horizon this weekend, there’s growing speculation that this move could materialize next season, sending shockwaves across the F1 community.

Sky Sports echoed this on their X account, stating, “Max Verstappen is open to leaving Red Bull to join Mercedes for the 2026 F1 season, with talks intensifying ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix, according to Sky in Italy.”

Verstappen’s potential fit with Mercedes

If any driver can power Mercedes back to dominance, it’s Verstappen. His competitive mindset and strategic racing approach could be the catalyst Mercedes needs to regain its championship form in the coming seasons. With Lewis Hamilton’s departure to Ferrari, Mercedes envisioned George Russell stepping into the leadership role. However, this transition has yet to meet expectations.

While Verstappen’s winning mentality is an asset, it could also present challenges. Tensions have flared between him and Russell before, and despite maintaining a cordial relationship off the track, their partnership might not be seamless if they were to team up at Mercedes.

While Verstappen remains near the top of the standings, teammate Yuki Tsunoda continues to struggle at the back of the pack. Tsunoda, who replaced Liam Lawson after the second race of the season, has had a difficult start, adding to the internal challenges Red Bull is reportedly facing.

Looking ahead to the next stretch of races, there are growing concerns in Austria that Red Bull could be facing a major shake-up. Reports suggest that team principal Christian Horner may step down following the Imola Grand Prix, which would mark a significant change for the team.

According to Austrian outlet OE24, Horner’s final race at the helm could be this weekend. While speculation continues to build, no official confirmation has been made regarding his future with Red Bull.

The reasons behind reported doubts about Verstappen’s team boss

Red Bull hasn’t had the strongest start to the Formula 1 season, and Horner’s future has reportedly been in question since last year. According to OE24, Horner was involved in a problematic situation with a female employee at Red Bull, which reportedly caused discomfort for team advisor Helmut Marko and star driver Max Verstappen.

“At the time, the British team boss was still protected by Red Bull’s leadership in Thailand, while the Verstappen camp, including Helmut Marko, already wanted a separation,” the outlet reported.

In addition to the off-track issues, Horner has also come under fire for the RB21’s underwhelming performance this season. Both Marko and Verstappen have expressed concerns about the car’s competitiveness, with Horner reportedly seen as one of those responsible for the car’s development struggles.

Potential Red Bull Racing replacements if Horner departs

As speculation continues to swirl, many are watching to see what happens after the upcoming Grand Prix at Imola. Two names have emerged as possible successors if Red Bull decide to part ways with Horner. One is Franz Tost, a familiar figure within the organization. The other is former Alpine team boss Oliver Oakes, who was recently replaced by Flavio Briatore.

During the 2025 F1 season, however, Verstappen hasn’t enjoyed the same clear advantage he held in previous years. While he has already claimed one victory, his head-to-head battles with Oscar Piastri suggest this could be one of the most competitive seasons in recent memory.

Beyond the title race, Verstappen is also dealing with uncertainty within his own team. Red Bull has struggled to find a stable second driver to support Max at the start of the season. After giving Liam Lawson a shot, the team opted to replace him just two races in, bringing back Yuki Tsunoda.

Tsunoda’s return came with high expectations, but he has yet to deliver consistent results. Following Sergio “Checo” Perez’s strong performances in recent years, the bar has been set high for Verstappen’s teammate, and so far, Tsunoda is still adjusting to the car.

Verstappen’s reported offer to leave Red Bull

Amid ongoing uncertainty within the Red Bull camp, rumors continue to swirl around Verstappen’s future with the team, speculation Max briefly addressed prior to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Now, a new report suggests Aston Martin could be preparing a blockbuster offer to lure him away.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Aston Martin is reportedly ready to table a staggering three-year, $300 million offer to sign Verstappen. The surprise proposal is said to be backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns approximately 20.5% of the team and is driving the push to secure the Dutch driver.

“The offer would reportedly be funded by Saudi Arabia’s PIF, which owns about 20.5% of the team,” La Gazzetta dello Sport reported. The news has already sparked a frenzy among fans, with speculation mounting that Verstappen could make the switch as early as next year.

Verstappen reacts following Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

As Formula 1 turns its focus to the Miami Grand Prix, Verstappen addressed a controversial moment from Saudi Arabia, a five-second penalty for a grid infringement. Speaking to the media post-race, he didn’t hold back.

“It’s better we don’t talk about it, because we are anyway not allowed to express our opinion on that,” Verstappen said. With his attention now on Miami, he remains in close pursuit of the top spot in the F1 standings, trailing Oscar Piastri, the current leader, who recently matched a milestone previously held by Sebastian Vettel’s former Red Bull teammate.

Throughout the race, Piastri remained on Verstappen’s tail, applying constant pressure on the reigning champion, who started from pole position. A bold move at the first corner helped set the tone for McLaren’s victory, which also included a strong fourth-place finish from Lando Norris, who impressively climbed up from 10th on the grid.

With this result, Piastri not only took over the top spot in the F1 standings after the Saudi GP, but also became the first Australian to lead the championship since Mark Webber in 2010. Three wins in the season’s first five races have propelled the 23-year-old into the spotlight as a serious title contender.

Piastri has now matched teammate Norris in total career victories, despite competing in 82 fewer Grands Prix. The success of both drivers highlights just how formidable McLaren has become this season, and why the duo could pose a major threat throughout the rest of the calendar.

Other milestones reached in Jeddah

In addition to Oscar Piastri’s impressive win, Max Verstappen also hit a major career milestone with his second-place finish in Sunday’s race. The result in Jeddah pushed Verstappen past Vettel to become the second-highest points scorer in Formula 1 history.

Red Bull‘s star now has 3,110.5 career points, edging out Vettel by 1.5 points. However, the all-time leader remains Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion, who still sits atop the leaderboard for most career points.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc also joined the list of record-setters in Jeddah. With his third-place finish, the Monegasque driver matched Fernando Alonso’s mark of 44 podiums during his time with Ferrari. Leclerc has emerged as the team’s most consistent performer this season, especially with Hamilton struggling to find form in 2025.

Norris reflects on Piastri’s victory

After Piastri’s standout performance, teammate Lando Norris offered a candid take on the team’s current position. While he praised the collective effort, he emphasized that there’s still plenty of room for improvement.

“People keep saying that we’re the best, we’re the quickest, blah blah blah, but it’s just because we show a bit more pace in practice,” Norris said. “We don’t have anything left when it gets to qualifying, but that’s our way of doing things. That’s how we feel we optimize things. If we didn’t do it that way, we’d be even further back.”

Ahead of this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Verstappen remains confident in his ability to fight for the championship. While he has publicly admitted that the current Red Bull car is difficult to handle, the Dutch driver now faces another challenge, uncertainty over his future with the team.

Reports have surfaced suggesting Verstappen is considering a departure from Red Bull in pursuit of new goals with another team. But on Thursday, the reigning world champion addressed those rumors directly.

“Honestly, a lot of people are talking about it—except me,” Verstappen told reporters. “I just want to focus on my car and work with the people in the team. That’s the only thing I’m thinking about in Formula 1. I’m very relaxed.”

Verstappen reflects on Red Bull struggles and the 2025 F1 season

In addition to addressing rumors about a potential departure from Red Bull, Verstappen shared his thoughts on the car’s performance and the team’s struggles during the Bahrain Grand Prix. The reigning champion managed to climb to sixth place in the final lap, salvaging valuable points after a difficult weekend.

“Naturally, Bahrain wasn’t a great weekend for us, and I think we were all pretty disappointed,” Verstappen admitted. “But we just keep trying to improve the car and come up with new ideas. The competition is tough, but that’s how I approach my weeks, always trying to improve the situation.“

Despite ongoing speculation about his future, Verstappen remains focused on improving his performance in a challenging car. As teams previously linked to the Dutchman begin to solidify their lineups for upcoming seasons, it appears Verstappen is committed to working through Red Bull’s early-season hurdles.

Verstappen opens up on Red Bull’s internal frustration

At the start of the season, setbacks have tested Red Bull’s typically smooth operations. While they remain within reach in both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings, frustration has crept into the paddock as expectations clash with on-track results.

Verstappen addressed the mood inside the team following Bahrain in the Formula 1. “I think they were just having conversations about everything, which I believe is completely fair,” he said. “We were all frustrated with the result and the things that went wrong during the race. Raymond, Helmut, and even Christian [Horner] sat down to talk it through. That kind of discussion should be allowed.”

Meanwhile, other teams are strategizing to avoid falling further behind Red Bull and McLaren. As two of the fastest cars on the grid, Ferrari and Mercedes are eager to challenge for podium finishes in the upcoming races.

One team facing early-season struggles is Alpine F1. With former Verstappen teammate Pierre Gasly and rookie Jack Doohan, Alpine is aiming to score its first points of the year after coming close in the recent Japanese Grand Prix.

In light of this, Gasly sent a clear message to his fellow drivers about the team’s determination to secure those first points. “I think it’s going to be good to reset after the first three weekends on a track we know,” Gasly said. “The good thing is that we get to race again next week, so we’ll try to get those points next weekend.”

Gasly’s thoughts on the car

After the Japanese Grand Prix, Gasly spoke with the media about the challenges the team faced in securing their first points. He and teammate Doohan both made attempts to break into the points, but several issues with the car hindered their efforts.

“We had a small issue at the pit stop, which I’m not sure about yet, but we’ll review it. Ultimately, we just lacked a bit of pace to be in the top 10. It wasn’t a huge gap, but it did feel like we were a bit off the pace,” Gasly said.

On the other hand, Doohan expressed his excitement about the upcoming race in Bahrain, where he’s eager to help the team secure its first points of the season. “I can’t wait for it. We just need to keep working together as a team, keep pushing, and get those points. That’s what’s important,” Doohan remarked.

Next stop for Verstappen: Bahrain

With his first victory of the season already in the books, Verstappen and his team are eager to race in Bahrain this weekend. For the Dutch driver, it will be a special moment as he has won the Bahrain Grand Prix twice before and could tie Fernando Alonso in the podium of the most wins at the circuit.

However, Verstappen will have to wait for another opportunity to become the all-time winner at this race, as Lewis Hamilton has claimed victory five times. Sebastian Vettel is second on the list, with four wins.

“I’m an Alpine driver. I have a contract with them. I’m working hard and hoping for an opportunity with this team. They went out of their way to bring me in. If the other guys weren’t paying attention, it’s too late now,” Colapinto said during a casual appearance on the Nude Project podcast.

Colapinto, 21, had been in the spotlight during the offseason after missing out on a full-time Formula 1 seat with Williams. His name resurfaced recently as Red Bull evaluated options following Liam Lawson’s underwhelming performances alongside Max Verstappen in Australia and China. Still, Red Bull opted to keep Yuki Tsunoda in the main team, sending Lawson back to Racing Bulls.

However, according to reports from PlanetF1.com, the rumors didn’t have any solid base. The outlet states that, despite rumors of potential talks, the team didn’t consider Colapinto seriously. In the end, it was Alpine that landed Colapinto, signing him as a reserve driver behind Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan.

Colapinto’s move to Alpine

In January, Williams and Alpine announced a deal for Colapinto. The 21-year-old Argentinian shares Test and Reserve Driver duties with Paul Aron and Ryo Hirakawa, attending several races throughout the year.

Williams Team Principal James Vowles stated that the team supported Colapinto’s move, believing Alpine offers him the best opportunity to secure a full-time seat in 2025 or 2026. Especially as the team’s 2025 lineup of Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz left limited room for advancement.

Colapinto was testing again in Monza

While he didn’t travel to Japan with the team, Colapinto got back behind the wheel during a private test session in Monza, Italy. A clip of the Argentine driving Alpine’s 2023 car quickly made the rounds on social media.

The test came the same weekend Max Verstappen won yet another Grand Prix, while Alpine struggledm with Gasly finishing 13th and Doohan 15th. However, currently, Lando Norris is the driver who leads the standings, with Verstappen second after three races.

Though the test was not official race prep, it marked another step in Colapinto’s development, while also reinforcing Alpine’s commitment to preparing him for a future role with the team.

Red Bull’s advisor, Helmut Marko, addressed the media two days ago to discuss Lawson’s underwhelming start and the arrival of Yuki Tsunoda. Marko’s comments made it clear that the team wasn’t satisfied with Lawson’s results, but Tsunoda’s inclusion also raised a number of questions among fans.

For some, Tsunoda’s signing appears to be a move orchestrated in collaboration with Honda, leading to concerns about his readiness. However, the Japanese driver’s F1 experience has brought some hope. Tsunoda himself shared his thoughts on joining Red Bull and what he hopes to bring to the team.

“Of course, I was happy about joining Red Bull, but when I thought about it carefully, the idea of suddenly racing for them at the Japanese Grand Prix felt so unreal. I don’t want to raise expectations too much, but for this race, I want to finish on the podium. That said, I know it won’t be easy from the start,“ Tsunoda said.

Tsunoda’s message to his new team

Yuki Tsunoda has grown significantly since his Formula 1 debut, and as he prepares for his next steps with Red Bull Racing, he shared his thoughts on what lies ahead. After Max Verstappen’s dominant performance in securing the driver’s championship last season, Tsunoda is focused on helping the team continue its success in 2025.

“My priority is to first understand the car, how it behaves compared to the VCARB. If I can naturally enjoy driving it as I get familiar with it during FP1, then the results will follow. And if that leads to a podium finish, that would be incredible,“ Tsunoda said in a media session on Saturday.

With the challenging task of adapting to a car that even Verstappen has described as difficult to handle, Tsunoda is under the spotlight. Red Bull Racing is keen on maximizing their performance this season, and Tsunoda’s ability to rise to the challenge will be critical to the team’s goals.

Tsunoda embraces the challenge ahead

As Verstappen’s new teammate, Tsunoda opened up about the call he received from Red Bull and expressed his excitement about the opportunity, despite the pressure.

“When I first got the call, I thought: ‘Wow, this is going to be interesting,'” Tsunoda recalled. “More than anything, I’m excited about the challenge ahead. There aren’t many moments in life where you face this kind of extreme pressure and an opportunity as big as this, so I can only imagine that it’s going to be an incredibly thrilling race.”

“Yuki Tsunoda will finish the season. Yuki Tsunoda is a fast driver. We know that, but he’s had his ups and downs. That’s why we thought Lawson was the better and stronger candidate. But Yuki has undergone a transformation. He changed his management and, in this situation, this was simply the best option.”

Lawson had taken Sergio Perez’s place, but due to his poor results in just two races, Red Bull dropped him, hoping that this would also help Max Verstappen in his fight for the Drivers’ World Championship.

Why was Liam Lawson dropped from Red Bull?

Liam Lawson was dropped by Red Bull because they need a competitive second driver to pursue the Constructors’ World Championship. A few days ago, Marko explained this in an interview with De Telegraaf.

“We know Max is not happy, but we need two cars at the front. Not only for the Constructors’ Championship, but also to help Max get his fifth world title.”

Lawson’s race ended on lap 47 when he lost control in the rain and hit the wall, capping off a tough weekend. He had already failed to complete Saturday’s qualifying and missed the final practice session due to reliability issues.

“It was a difficult weekend for him,” said Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner, per F1’s official website. “We changed the car to put a bit more downforce on it. It’s a very hard track to overtake at. We took a risk of leaving him out longer… at exactly the point it started to rain more, so it’s difficult to blame him for that last bit.”

Despite the struggles, Horner pointed to a silver lining: “The one flash of light that he can take out of it is that on the dry tyres, he actually posted the second fastest lap time of the Grand Prix with a 22.9 versus Max’s 23.0 and Lando’s 22.1… So if there was one positive we can take, it was that his pace on the dry was not too bad.”

Hadjar’s emotional debut and Red Bull’s mixed response

Hadjar’s first F1 weekend had been promising up to his crash, as he narrowly missed out on the top 10 in qualifying, making him the fastest rookie over a single lap. He had also topped the rookie timesheets in two of the three practice sessions.

After his early exit, the 20-year-old was visibly emotional, walking through the paddock in tears before being consoled by Anthony Hamilton, father of Lewis. Red Bull’s advisor Helmut Marko was unimpressed. “Isack Hadjar did a little bit of crying after his crash. That was a bit embarrassing,” Marko told ORF.

Horner, however, was more understanding. “It was quite heart-wrenching to see him so gutted,” he said. “You forget that these guys are just kids really, and obviously, there’s a lot of emotion for him. But when he strips it back, there’s an awful lot of positives that he can take out of the weekend. He’s got many bright days ahead of him.”

Verstappen remains a threat despite Red Bull’s woes

While the Red Bull RB21 is not yet at the level of McLaren’s MCL39, Max Verstappen still managed to disrupt F1’s fastest team throughout the weekend. Any doubts about his motivation amid Red Bull’s struggles were quickly dispelled, as he sent a clear message that he remains a championship contender.