Red Bull’s Quiet Reset: Mekies, Verstappen, and the Power of Two

Red Bull’s revival under Laurent Mekies, a Monza floor step, and Verstappen’s back-to-back wins have reopened the title fight. The two-team model is telling.

Red Bull were never truly gone. But under Laurent Mekies, with Verstappen stacking back-to-back wins, the team look sharper and more controlled. Since the Monza floor upgrade, the RB21 has found balance. And with the unique power of two teams behind them, Red Bull are suddenly back in the mix.

Key Points

• Mekies replaced Horner in July with immediate effect.
• Verstappen has won Monza and Baku, the latter a Grand Slam.
• Monza’s new floor gave the RB21 stability and a wider setup window.
• Red Bull’s two-team model allows instant staff moves.
• Rivals have voiced concern: Zak Brown on fairness, Stella on Verstappen’s threat.
• Drivers’ gap: Verstappen 69 points off Piastri, 44 off Norris.
   

Laurent Mekies’ F1 Engineering Background

Laurent Mekies is not a figurehead. He is an engineer who has lived the full spectrum of Formula One. Arrows, Minardi, Toro Rosso, the FIA, Ferrari. Every stop gave him a view of how departments fit together. Aero, vehicle dynamics, race operations. He speaks their language.

That is what makes him effective now. Red Bull under Mekies has not been reinvented. It has been pulled tighter. Neater. More joined-up. The Christian Horner departure earlier in the season opened the door for this reset.

Red Bull F1 Two-Team Advantage

This is where Red Bull’s structure matters. Two full teams under one umbrella. Red Bull Racing in Milton Keynes. Racing Bulls in Faenza.

By rule, they cannot swap technical drawings or share wind tunnel data. That firewall is hard. But staff? That is different.

Elsewhere in the paddock, senior hires sit out six months or a year on gardening leave. At Red Bull, Mekies moved overnight. The same could happen with engineers, strategists, managers. Any department. That flexibility is unique.

Zak Brown has not been shy in pointing to the imbalance. In his view, it tilts the field. Not illegal. Not against the rulebook. But a structural advantage no rival can match.

Mercedes do not have that with Williams. Ferrari do not have it with Haas. Partnerships are not ownership. And ownership gives Red Bull the edge.

Verstappen and the Monza Floor Upgrade

The turning point came with the Monza package. A new floor body, fences, and edge work. Re-shaped suspension fairings. Trimmed front wing. All designed to cut drag and hold more consistent load under the car.

The result was not just stability. It gave Red Bull a broader setup window. More flexibility with rear wing levels. Better tyre pressure options. Suspension tweaks that would have made the car nervous before suddenly became viable.

That mattered. Verstappen used it to win at Monza, then carried the same balance and confidence into Baku Grand Prix, where he crushed the weekend with a Grand Slam. Two races. Two statements. The moment the title fight re-opened.

McLaren Title Fight vs Verstappen

The season’s narrative has been McLaren. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri fighting each other for the title. Same garage. Same car. Different ambitions.

All the while Verstappen has crept back into shot. Quietly. Relentlessly. Like a car closing in with DRS open. Lap after lap. He is now within a second.

Andrea Stella warned about it. He said Verstappen is never truly out of the fight. A driver at the peak of his career does not fade. He finds a way back in.

The maths prove it. Two wins later, he is 69 points behind Piastri and 44 off Norris. With seven races left and three sprints still to come, that margin is in range.

Drivers’ Championship Still Alive

The Constructors’ championship might still lean away from Red Bull. But the Drivers’ is alive. Mekies has given the team direction. The two-team structure gives them speed off-track. The Monza floor gave them grip on it. And Verstappen is making it all count.

The McLaren pair may still lead the story. But Verstappen has shown intent. The chase has started. And when he is this close, it usually does not take long.

F1 Drivers’ Championship Standings — After Baku (21 Sept 2025)

1. Oscar Piastri — 324
2. Lando Norris — 299  (−25)
3. Max Verstappen — 255  (−69 to Piastri, −44 to Norris)
4. George Russell — 212
5. Charles Leclerc — 165

(Seven GPs left. Three Sprints. 199 points available.)

FAQs

Did the Monza floor upgrade fix Red Bull’s RB21?

The Monza package added aero load consistency and gave the RB21 a wider setup window. That stability allowed Verstappen to push harder and manage tyres more effectively.

Is Red Bull’s two-team model legal in F1?

Yes. Technical data sharing between Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls is prohibited, but staff moves within the ownership group are allowed under current rules.

Can Verstappen still win the 2025 title?

He trails by 69 points with seven Grands Prix and three Sprints left. With 199 points still on the table, he remains firmly in mathematical range.