Marko casts Mekies and Horner verdict with Red Bull ‘like the old days’

Henry Valantine 19 Nov 2025 6:30 PM

Helmut Marko was asked about the atmosphere within Red Bull as Laurent Mekies takes charge.

Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko said both Christian Horner and Laurent Mekies “have their merits” as team principals, though with the team back to winning ways, it currently feels “like the old days” within Milton Keynes.

Horner was relieved of his duties in a surprise move in July, with Racing Bulls boss Mekies stepping up to the senior squad to lead as team principal and CEO.

Marko: Max Verstappen and Laurent Mekies ‘quite massive’ in Red Bull turnaround

Horner’s next move is as-yet unknown as he looks for a way back into the Formula 1 paddock in future, but after a lengthy association with Red Bull, Mekies became only the second team principal in the team’s history upon his move from Racing Bulls.

Mekies has been at pains to stress how improvements to the team’s form have not been a direct result of his leadership, with certain updates having been planned in advance of his arrival.

Despite falling away in the past two races, Max Verstappen had clawed his way towards the leading McLaren duo in the title hunt, and because of that form, Marko feels the team is currently like the Red Bull of old – though both team principals have their own approaches.

When asked how the vibe is within Red Bull after Horner was replaced, Marko told the Beyond the Grid podcast: “We are starting winning again. So the atmosphere, everything is positive, and it’s like the old days.”

Asked to pin down any differences between the former and current team principal, the team’s senior advisor added: “It’s like with a football coach.

“They all have that different way of leadership, but the main thing is that we are successful again, and both have their merits.”

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With Verstappen having been able to make the most of the RB21 in the second half of the season more often than not, Marko credits the four-time World Champion and team principal for having worked together to create a “new way” of working that gets the most from the car, but with a wider operating window than before.

Asked about Verstappen’s influence in Red Bull’s turnaround this season, Marko replied: “Quite massive. But that came together with Laurent.

“He is a very good engineer, besides that, he can work with the people on a very communicative way and they both, I would say, installed a new way of going into the details or simply saying: ‘The numbers in the simulator is not what matters anymore. It matters what the stopwatch shows.’

“That means to get out the maximum of the car, the driver can rely on it, and it’s not on such a small edge that only a Max can drive it. Although, if he doesn’t have the confidence, he can’t go to the limit like he does at the moment.”

While it has long been said that Red Bull’s machine has been tailored to Verstappen’s wants, the team has repeatedly denied that is the case.

With the way he drives though, the Austrian revealed what it is that tends to separate him from his teammates in the other cockpit.

“His feel and car control is what makes the difference,” Marko said.

“You know, we had a car which was very loose in the rear. Checo [Perez] was lifting, and if you asked Max, he said ‘maybe it’s a little bit unstable’, but he still was on full throttle.”