Formula 1 News: Marko praises Mekies' Red Bull impact

(GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says Christian Horner’s replacement as Red Bull team boss, Laurent Mekies (pictured), has brought a new style to the energy drink-owned team.

“On a personal level, he’s more focused on his work,” the long-time brand advisor told f1-insider.com. “In other words, the most important thing for him is the team’s success and leadership.”

Horner’s forced departure earlier this year was linked to growing tension with Red Bull’s shareholders, with rumours suggesting his broader ambitions extended well beyond team principal.

Marko contrasted that with Mekies’ approach.

“He’s very down-to-earth,” the 82-year-old Austrian said. “This has already been noticeable in conversations with the drivers, who this time have focused more on technical details. And Yuki in particular has noticed a leap forward in the race, or at least in qualifying.

“So there’s a different atmosphere, a different style, and that’s what Red Bull has always wanted.”

The bigger challenge for the reigning champions, however, is the driver lineup. Both Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda have struggled to get near Max Verstappen, fuelling speculation that Tsunoda will leave at the end of the year and that juniors like Isack Hadjar or Arvid Lindblad could step in for 2026.

But Marko insists the Japanese driver is not ruled out.

“Traditionally, we evaluate our drivers after the summer break and then decide what the lineup will be for the following year, or in some cases even later. For now, everything is open,” said the Austrian.

“Simply put, Yuki still has a chance. We are currently analysing performance. Therefore, no positive or negative decisions have been made.”