Laurent Mékies has succeeded Franz Tost. Since the 2024 Formula 1 season, he has been the team boss of Visa Cash App RB. He is a familiar face to the team, having previously worked as a race engineer for Mark Webber and Christijan Albers, back when the team was known as Minardi and later Scuderia Toro Rosso.
The Beginning of His Career
After completing his education in mechanical engineering, Mékies briefly worked in Formula 3. However, his Formula 1 career began as a motor engineer in 2001 at Asiatech, where he collaborated with Jos Verstappen at Arrows. When Asiatech switched to Minardi in 2002, Mékies stayed on even after the manufacturer went under. The Frenchman was promoted to race engineer and worked with Christijan Albers.
The Italian team was taken over by Red Bull in 2005 and renamed Scuderia Toro Rosso. This led to the team’s growth from about eighty people to approximately four hundred employees. Mékies initially worked there as chief engineer, and later as head of vehicle performance. He experienced the team’s first successes, such as the first victory with a young Sebastian Vettel in 2008.
In 2014, Mékies left Toro Rosso to join the FIA as a safety director. He was responsible for promoting the safety of the sport, playing a significant role in the integration of the Halo in Formula 1 and Formula 2. In 2017, he was promoted to deputy racing director. However, this position was short-lived as Mékies left the FIA in 2018 for Scuderia Ferrari. There, he was appointed as sporting director and later oversaw the Track & Development department.
A New Chapter
Midway through the 2023 Formula 1 season, it was announced that Franz Tost would step down as team boss of AlphaTauri. When Mékies received an offer from Red Bull’s sister team, it became clear that his path with Ferrari would diverge. Frédéric Vasseur, team boss of Ferrari, attempted to keep him on board, but Mékies could not refuse the offer. He was put on so-called ‘gardening leave’, during which he had to hand over his duties as sporting director at Ferrari to Diego Loverno.
Together with CEO Peter Bayer, Laurent Mékies aims to chart a new course with the Italian Formula 1 team. A new name, Visa Cash App RB, a new vision, and a new car. The Frenchman is responsible for the daily operation, from the technical side to support. The responsibility of the team is evenly divided between Mékies and Bayer.
