Mekies Speaks on Newey's Impactful Departure from F1

Laurent Mekies discusses the significant void Adrian Newey’s departure will leave in Formula 1 racing.

The Formula 1 paddock has been notably shaken by the confirmation of Adrian Newey’s departure from Red Bull, with the British engineer deciding to end a nearly 20-year stint.

At RB F1, the sister team of the world champions, Laurent Mekies was asked to comment on the matter in Miami, even though it does not directly concern his squad.

“It’s a huge loss for Red Bull Racing. It doesn’t affect our project, obviously, but, you know, I think it would be a loss for any team to lose someone like Adrian. The records speak for themselves. So, it’s definitely not going to go unnoticed.”

“The departure of someone of Adrian’s caliber would make a difference in any team. It naturally changes the internal dynamics. Moreover, there’s a need to find a new balance from a leadership perspective. And it would be the same for any team in this situation.”

While Newey is linked with a move to Ferrari, Mekies, a former Ferrari member, confirms that discussions have long existed between the Scuderia and the British engineer, logically given his talent.

“You know, I think everyone has been quite honest in saying that every team has Adrian on their list. So, of course, I think we’ve all spoken with him, and I’m sure that’s even more true now that this possibility becomes a bit more concrete.”

Ricciardo “progresses” and “adapts to this car”

Shining this Saturday during the Sprint, where he finished fourth and scored his first points of the season, less so during the qualifying (17th time, 20th on the grid with his penalty), Daniel Ricciardo was coming off a very frustrating race in China, where he was clipped by Lance Stroll and lost all hope of a good result. And Mekies confirms that the Australian driver is heading in the right direction.

“You know, for us, China… Daniel was having his best weekend until this one. So, we’ve said it repeatedly, he is progressing. We can already see it. As for the incident itself, even though it’s unpleasant, that’s sometimes how racing goes, and there’s nothing else to do but move forward.”

“We have worked very hard to ensure he has a car in which he feels comfortable. It’s partly due to his own abilities that he’s adapting to this car. Part of it comes from us, adapting the car to his needs. There are things that can be done in the very short term, and we’ve taken several steps. Other measures will be taken later in the season, to give him something he can really push to the limit. So, he’s on the right track. I think Daniel and Yuki are now at a very, very high level, and they will continue to push each other for the rest of the year.”