Oracle Red Bull Racing has announced a long-term extension for a key executive who has helped the team get back into championship contention.
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The team has announced that CEO and Team Principal Laurent Mekies has signed a contract extension that keeps him leading the outfit through 2031. The Frenchman has already guided Red Bull Racing through technical regulation changes this season, and he will do so once again during the next decade when F1 brings back the V8 engines.
This extension continues a flurry of important moves by the F1 team. Red Bull Racing previously announced a long-term deal with four-time champion Max Verstappen, as well as a deal for Isack Hadjar.
A former engineer, Mekies was promoted from Racing Bulls in July 2025. He oversaw Red Bull Racing for the rest of the 2025 season as Verstappen scored six of his eight wins on the season to end the year second in the championship standings.
This year featured the series moving to new technical regulations, some of which irked Verstappen and led to questions about his future in the sport. However, Mekies helped convince him to sign a long-term extension. He has since won two more Grands Prix.
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— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) October 14, 2026
"I am incredibly proud to continue this journey with Oracle Red Bull Racing, and I would like to thank Chalerm (Yoovidhya), Mark (Mateschitz), and Oliver (Mintzlaff), the entire team, and everyone involved for the trust they have placed in the project," Mekies said in the extension announcement.
"What makes this team special is the way everyone comes together in pursuit of the same goal, and I feel privileged to work alongside such a talented and committed group every day.
"Together, with Pierre Wache's and Ben Hodgkinson's teams playing a central role in shaping our future, we have a strong platform for the years ahead, and we genuinely believe this is only the beginning.
"As we look ahead, we will continue to embrace the principles that define us: being free in our thinking, fast in our actions and bold in our decisions."
