Mekies, who took over from Christian Horner following the British Grand Prix, becomes just the second person to lead Red Bull in its 20-year history.
The 48-year-old joins from Red Bull’s junior outfit, Racing Bulls, where he served as team principal and helped reshape its structure alongside CEO Peter Bayer.
Speaking to F1.com, Mekies recalled the moment he received the call from Red Bull executives Oliver Mintzlaff and Helmut Marko.
“Of course, it took me by surprise,” he said. “Then you try to digest and then you say, ‘wait a second, it’s Red Bull calling you to step in that role. How can it be anything else than a privilege?’
“So you get that Red Bull energy feeling there. And that’s how it happened.
“Obviously I called them back. And the rest is history.”
Red Bull’s decision to promote from within has been met with widespread praise, particularly from drivers who’ve worked closely with Mekies.
Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar said that while he was thrilled for his former boss, he was “quite disappointed” to see him leave Faenza.
“It was quite disappointing, to be honest, when I heard the news, because I had a great relationship with him,” he said.
“I still have, I still will, but it’s a bit sad for every team member because he was very appreciated.
“I’m very happy for him and his new mission now.”
Teammate Liam Lawson echoed the sentiment, calling Mekies “the perfect person” for Red Bull’s top job.
“I think it’s important that Laurent gets the time he needs, going to Red Bull, because I do believe he’s the perfect person to have that position,” the New Zealander said.
“I think he will do great. He’s somebody who cares a lot and is a very good human being.
“I’ve loved working with him and would love to work with him again in the future in some way.
“For Red Bull, I think it’s a great opportunity to have Laurent there.”
Lawson also highlighted Mekies’ emotional intelligence as a key asset during a tumultuous time.
“Around Laurent, there is naturally always very good energy and he is somebody who is always very supportive,” he said.
“For me, he was extremely supportive last year when I drove for the team, when I made the step to Red Bull and when I made the step back to VCARB.
“Through that whole process, he has always been very supportive, and even when I was at Red Bull and not racing with VCARB, I always had plenty of communication with him through that as well.
“He’s just a very supportive person and somebody who brings very good energy to the team, and I think that is going to be very good for Red Bull.”
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Carlos Sainz, who worked closely with Mekies at Ferrari, also praised the appointment, calling it a smart move by Red Bull.
“My time in Ferrari when he was there, I found someone that was incredibly hardworking,” said Sainz.
“He understood very well the driver. He had a special feeling and a special communication with drivers, which I think makes things for the driver very comfortable and very open.
“Since his time in the FIA, then Ferrari, now [Racing Bulls], and now coming in Red Bull — he has plenty of experience to lead one of the biggest teams in Formula 1.
“I think he’s honestly the perfect fit for that team.”
Mekies himself is under no illusion about the weight of expectation that comes with the role, especially with Red Bull aiming to retain four-time world champion Max Verstappen beyond 2028.
“There is only one desire at Red Bull,” he said. “And it goes from the board to anybody at Red Bull F1. They are here to fight for the wins, to fight for the championships.
“And they are here with the maximum commitment from the group to say, we want the team to continue fighting for the win, fighting for the championships, getting the best car out there.”
He added that keeping Verstappen hinges on delivering what the Dutchman values most — performance.
“Max is central to the project and he’s key to the project and we need his magic at the racetrack,” Mekies added.
“He has been with the team for a very long time and he has huge inputs in helping us driving the next competitive edge that we will need to build.”
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