Ralf Schumacher praises Laurent Mekies but warns Red Bull rebuild will take years

Ralf Schumacher has praised Red Bull's new team principal Laurent Mekies as the Frenchman works to rebuild the Milton Keynes outfit. This comes amid a difficult season so far, with the team scoring only 194 points before the summer break, 187 of which coming from Max Verstappen. 

Speaking to German publication Bild, Schumacher has lauded the positive influence Mekies has already had, while offering a stark assessment of the team currently, adding that there will be a difficult period of repair ahead of them. 

"He brings back the old Red Bull feeling," he said. "Approachable, human, open – no more of that power struggle in the background.

"But: It will take two to three years until things really get going again. Currently, the team is stuck in mediocrity."

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

This has been a surprisingly difficult season for Red Bull after three seasons of dominance. 2023 saw the team put together a record-breaking campaign in which they won 21 of 22 races. But by the end of 2024, the story had changed as McLaren and Ferrari surged up the pecking order, leaving the energy drink team third in the constructors' championship. Verstappen, with his points bolstered by his success earlier in the season, won his fourth consecutive championship, but still struggled with a car that developed issues throughout the season.

Its struggles continued into this year. The replacement of Sergio Perez for the beginning of 2025 did nothing to improve the performance of the second car, with Liam Lawson, and, later, Yuki Tsunoda, struggling massively with the seemingly defiant RB21. 

Off the track, things were just as difficult, with Horner involved in his own conflicts after allegations from a female colleague and pressure from Red Bull management. Not only this, but rumours of Verstappen being interested in a seat at Mercedes added to the strain as Toto Wolff confirmed talks with the reigning champion.

This came to a head in July when Horner was released from his duties as CEO and team principal.

With the Dutchman now confirming his place in the team for 2026 and Mekies ushering in a fresh start for the outfit, it will be an uphill battle as they welcome the new regulations in 2026 alongside Ford Performance.