Laurent Mekies’ role in the resurgence shown by Red Bull in the second half of the 2025 Formula 1 season has been played down by ex-Haas boss Guenther Steiner.
The Milton Keynes-based squad suffered with a comparative lack of competitiveness during the earlier stages of the campaign, with Max Verstappen winning just two races prior to the summer break.
But the Dutchman went on a subsequent mesmeric run, winning five of the last nine races, and finishing on the podium in the other four.
It gave Verstappen a chance of winning the title in the final round in Abu Dhabi, missing out to Lando Norris by just two points.
Mekies arrived at the team in July, being installed as Team Principal and CEO immediately after its firing of Christian Horner in the week after the British Grand Prix.
The Frenchman, who had been boss of its satellite squad Racing Bulls, was credited to enabling a new technical direction from the pit wall that contributed to the RB21 car’s improvements.
But speaking to Sport Krone, Steiner believes that whilst Mekies was able to weather the storm of the latter part of the Horner tenure, he cannot be solely praised for the team’s change in fortunes.
“I think that would be reading a bit too much into it,” he said.
“Certainly, Mekies has brought calm after the Horner turmoil – but the car’s performance was definitely already there, because Laurent can’t make a car fast in two weeks, he’s not that good.”
The final two years of the Horner era was fraught with alleged infighting and accusations around the 51-year-old’s private life, which were later dismissed.
And Steiner did acknowledge that the arrival of Mekies will have been helpful to Verstappen, leaving him to concentrate on his driving without the continued scrutiny of the team’s supposedly-damaged harmony.
“But the added calm alone has made a big difference,” Steiner explained. “It has certainly helped Max Verstappen as well, as there wasn’t constant drama surrounding the team at every race.
“The whole team could finally concentrate on what’s essential again.”
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