Red Bull has 'good chemistry' as Laurent Mekies and Max Verstappen continue rebuild

David Coulthard believes Laurent Mekies and Max Verstappen share "good chemistry" as Red Bull continues to rebuild after a turbulent period of transition.

Why it matters:

Red Bull has lost a huge amount of senior leadership since 2024, including team principal Christian Horner, chief technical officer Adrian Newey, sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, head of strategy Will Courtenay, chief designer Craig Skinner and driver advisor Helmut Marko. Gianpiero Lambiase is also set to leave as Verstappen's race engineer for McLaren. Mekies was brought in from Racing Bulls to replace Horner in July 2025, and the team's ability to hold together under that pressure will define its next era.

The details:

• Under Mekies, Verstappen mounted a late 2025 title push, missing out by just two points.
• Mekies also steered Red Bull Powertrains through its final stages before the in-house engine debuted in 2026.
• Red Bull has added Gwen Lagrue from Mercedes to run its junior programme, while Verstappen signed a new deal through 2030, ending exit speculation.
• Mekies previously worked at the FIA and Ferrari before joining Racing Bulls in 2024.
• Coulthard, who raced for Red Bull from 2005-2008 and remains an ambassador, told RacingNews365: "Laurent's job is to make sure that they have the right people growing within, and the right people coming in."
• He added: "The chemistry is good, and I think that helps take away the doubt from the media, which then adds to the chemistry."

What's next:

Coulthard says Mekies' previous spell inside the Red Bull family means he already has the trust of the owners in Austria. With the 2026 season now underway and the in-house engine project live, the focus shifts to whether that stability can translate into a sustained championship challenge.