Red Bull's new boss Mekies: "It feels unreal that Horner isn't here"

Mekies said Christian Horner's absence still feels unbelievable and emphasized Horner's place in the team's 20-year success story.

Mekies said: “My first thought is for Christian. It feels a bit surreal to still be here and not be able to see him. It's impossible to underestimate the success this team has achieved under his leadership. I met him 20 years ago. At the time, he was the youngest team principal in Formula 1 and he brought Red Bull to its current level. The championships and victories he's won along the way… Christian, along with Helmut and Oliver, was the one who brought me back to the Red Bull family two years ago. My thoughts are with him today.”

Mekies, who is experiencing his first day with Red Bull, stated that even from an outside perspective, he has always viewed Red Bull as a “team of the best.” “Like anyone who watches you from the outside, I always saw Red Bull as a team of the best people in the business. Even though we were rivals before, we knew you brought together the most talented people. Joining this team is a huge privilege. Our priority will be to ensure these talented people have everything they need, because they are already the best. And of course, a huge challenge awaits us: one of the biggest rule changes in Formula 1 history is coming. For Red Bull, this is even more special because we will be racing with our own power unit. It will be an extraordinary challenge.” Mekies described his move from Racing Bulls to Red Bull Racing not as a “team change,” but as a move within the Red Bull family: “This is the Red Bull family, and we feel incredible support from Oliver, Helmut, and the shareholders. There has been a huge investment on both sides. It might seem like moving from one building to another, but you’re actually staying within the same family. Red Bull is one of the most incredible companies on the planet.” "This is where the extraordinary talent of Red Bull Racing meets the energy of Red Bull. It's energy upon energy."

Finally, Mekies clearly outlined the first step: “For now, there's only one step left: meeting people. It hasn't even been a day, but I can't wait to meet all the members of this extraordinary team. I want to get to know the people behind this magic. Over the next few weeks, I'll be listening to as many people as possible to understand this amazing structure, and I'll be ready to contribute in any way I can.”