29/07/2025 16:35
Ralf Schumacher believes Red Bull promoting Laurent Mekies was an
"extraordinarily good move" as the team fights to keep Max
Verstappen long-term. The Frenchman assumes the mantle from
Christian Horner, who was relieved of his duties after over 20
years at the helm of the Milton Keynes squad. With the 51-year-old
having led the outfit since it started in F1 in 2005, Mekies, who
leaves the team principal post at its second team, Racing Bulls,
becomes only Red Bull's second ever F1 boss. In Schumacher's view,
the bombshell decision by the team is already paying dividends. The
former Jordan, Williams, and Toyota driver highlighted reports that
it has "triggered" significantly improved morale at the six-time F1
constructors' champions. "I think Red Bull has made an
extraordinarily good move, in this case from Oliver Mintzlaff and
Mark Mateschitz, by bringing Mekies into this position now,"
Schumacher said on Sky Sports Germany's F1 podcast, Backstage
Boxengasse . "It has triggered something within the team, and that
has done something to the team. You can hear that the mood is very
different in such a short time. The approach is different." The
six-time grand prix winner argued Verstappen does not "necessarily
want to leave" the team, with the Dutchman having only ever known
home in F1 as being at the twin-squad operation. He pointed out how
the four-time F1 drivers' champion is not certain to enjoy the same
extent of support at Mercedes, the team he was closely linked to in
recent weeks, particularly if Toto Wolff attempts to partner him
with George Russell, not Kimi Antonelli - if Verstappen does make
the move to Brackley for 2027. "And you have to remember that Max
Verstappen has never been on another team in his career. He owes
everything to Red Bull. So he makes it anything but easy for
himself," Schumacher added. "And maybe he doesn't necessarily want
to leave either. And I can imagine that if everything is fine here,
he asks himself: Why should I leave? I don't think that was
entirely his wish. It only led to it because the car was no longer
working so well. There were problems, and internally, the
atmosphere was suddenly not so good. "From that point of view, I
think it is indeed very much open again. Such a development can
happen very quickly. And this sense of well-being is very important
for the driver. "And one thing Max knows, of course, is that this
team is fully behind him. Now, if you look at Mercedes and George
Russell, I can't imagine that he would be his first choice in terms
of his team-mate, if it were up to him. So from that point of view,
now we have to wait and see." Horner 'single-handedly decided the
fate of' Red Bull Assessing the factors that Verstappen will have
to weigh up in his decision, Schumacher contended that Red Bull,
with Ford power, could be more competitive than first anticipated.
"And it was said that Mercedes had the best power unit," the
50-year-old stated. "But then if you listen a little bit, suddenly
you hear, 'Yes, but Ford is also doing very well.' As for Max
Verstappen, I think he is still leaving it open." The former F1
driver addressed the impact of Horner at the team, and how his
stranglehold on the hierarchy meant that had Red Bull continued to
be successful, not slumping into a steady decline, Verstappen would
not have been unhappy with the Briton remaining in control. "That
[Horner leaving] is, of course, a factor [in Verstappen's future],
but on the other hand, if success had come, everything would have
been a bit easier again," Schumacher explained. "I think the
situation was indeed very complicated and a lot of wrong decisions
were also made. "Otherwise, Max would not have been in the
situation to say: 'No, I don't see my future here at the moment,
maybe I should listen to something else.' "Horner can then put that
on his list, because he single-handedly decided the fate of the
team."
