Laurent Mekies says Red Bull factory change will take team to ‘completely different level’

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Laurent Mekies has suggested that a major change at Red Bull’s factory could elevate the team to a completely new level.

Early in the 2026 Formula 1 season, Red Bull have found it tough to keep up with Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren.

After three races, Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar have managed only 16 points between them, leaving them tied with Alpine in the standings.

Their issues haven’t been limited to performance either. It’s also been confirmed that Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, will be heading to McLaren in 2028.

Laurent Mekies believes upcoming changes will transform Red Bull’s prospects

Speaking to The Guardian, Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies pointed to the team’s soon-to-be-completed wind tunnel as a major step forward. He believes the new facility will help close the gap to their rivals.

He also addressed Red Bull’s decision to build their own power unit, saying it has put them in a unique position for the future.

Mekies said: “As much as it was a crazy decision, a crazy investment, now it put us into an incredible situation for the next five to 10 years.

“The power unit decision of four years ago that puts you in a position of being completely independent… for years to come, with the support of [engine partners] Ford.

“I was not involved in those decisions, just credit to the guys before. The fact that we have this wind tunnel coming sometime next year also puts you at a completely different level.

Mekies acknowledged that while Red Bull may be behind in some areas compared to their competitors, he believes they are well positioned for long-term success.

“So it’s true that the opposition may have shot ahead compared to us in some respects but globally, in terms of the legs of the project, it put us into an incredible position.”