Racing Bulls chief Mekies relishes 'underdog' tag

Laurent Mekies has no illusions about Racing Bulls' place in Formula One. The team — formerly known as Toro Rosso, AlphaTauri and RB — has always existed in Red Bull's orbit; a proving ground for the energy drink-backed concern to prepare and evaluate its stable of young driving talent.

But Mekies, as team principal, sees the newly-named Racing Bulls as more than just a finishing school. He envisions a youthful, ambitious team capable of fighting on its own terms, while still fulfilling its role within the Red Bull ecosystem.

"There are many things that Red Bull, as the owner, wants to do with this team," Mekies told Xinhua.

"They have pressed the reset button — new name, new colors, new partnerships. And with one specific focus: We are the team that tries to speak to younger boys and girls out there."

That connection to a new generation of fans is central to Racing Bulls' identity, with Mekies noting the team's unique place within F1's fandom.

"We have the most balanced fan base in F1 — basically it's fifty-fifty between men and women. Everything we are doing with this team is trying to provide a window into the sport for the younger generation."

Yet, Racing Bulls is still in the business of performance, and the team remains a launchpad for Red Bull's young talent. The pipeline is clear — excel at Racing Bulls, and a shot at the senior team may follow.

"It's part of our DNA to mold young drivers for the Red Bull family," Mekies said. "Apart from the team principal, we are the young guys and girls. It's a young team, and we try to fight against giants."

That underdog mentality is something Mekies relishes. While Racing Bulls enjoys support from Red Bull, it remains independent from a major car manufacturer.

"It's probably only Williams and us now that are not linked to an OEM," he noted. "We like this setup — we are the underdog, the small team, and we are trying to take the fight on track to all these giants."

Fighting in F1's midfield is no small task. Mekies knows that breaking into the top four is unrealistic, but that doesn't mean Racing Bulls lacks ambition. "The top four is unreachable, but from P5 to P10, it's pretty open," he said. "We want to be credible fighters at the top of that group. We want to be credible in our fight for P6, maybe P5."

Mekies' words have already proven eerily prophetic. His insistence that F1 teams "change their opinions on drivers very fast" was underscored in the days after he spoke to Xinhua, when Racing Bulls' Yuki Tsunoda was called up by Red Bull to swap places with the underperforming Liam Lawson after just two races this season.

It was a reminder that, for all the talk of long-term vision, driver movements within the Red Bull system can be swift and brutal, with Racing Bulls' reality still dictated by the shifting sands of the senior outfit. But, under Mekies' leadership, the team is embracing its role, shaping its own identity, and proving that even a so-called junior team can dream big.

Xinhua