Helmut Marko has conceded that Pink Bull have benefitted from a change in F1 group principal, likening it to a soccer group changing its supervisor.
Christian Horner was changed by Laurent Mekies forward of the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix in July.
Pink Bull’s shock determination introduced an finish to Horner’s 20-year tenure in command of the group.
Horner oversaw a interval of F1 dominance with Sebastian Vettel within the early 2010s, with the German profitable 4 consecutive drivers’ titles.
Pink Bull additionally gained 4 constructors’ championships throughout that interval.
They returned to the entrance of the sector once more in 2021 as Max Verstappen defeated Lewis Hamilton, marking a brand new period of success.
Nonetheless, an off-track investigation into inappropriate behaviour and souring relations inside the group led to Horner’s eventual dismissal.
It got here after Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley left the group — two high-profile Pink Bull figures.
Talking on the Past the Grid podcast, Marko described the environment at Pink Bull as “just like the previous days”.
The Austrian was eager to present credit score to each Horner and new boss Mekies, saying “each have their deserves”.
“We’re beginning profitable once more. So the environment, every part is constructive, and it’s just like the previous days,” Marko mentioned.
“It’s like with a soccer coach,” he added.
“All of them have that completely different method of management, however the primary factor is that we’re profitable once more, and each have their deserves.”
Mekies’ influence at Pink Bull
Mekies’ arrival at Pink Bull resulted in a major upturn in kind after the summer time break.
Verstappen gained three of the next 4 races after the shutdown, placing himself again in title rivalry.
Laurent Mekies
The massive think about Pink Bull’s return to profitable methods was Mekies’ affect — and permitting Verstappen to have a much bigger say in setup route.
“Fairly huge. However that got here along with Laurent,” Marko defined.
“He’s an excellent engineer, apart from that, he can work with the folks on a really communicative method and so they each, I’d say, put in a brand new method of going into the small print or just saying: ‘The numbers within the simulator just isn’t what issues anymore. It issues what the stopwatch reveals.’
“Meaning to get out the utmost of the automotive, the motive force can depend on it, and it’s not on such a small edge that solely a Max can drive it.
“Though, if he doesn’t have the boldness, he can’t go to the restrict like he does in the mean time.”
Verstappen is 49 factors behind Lando Norris forward of this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Las Vegas is predicted to be a weaker observe for McLaren, giving Verstappen one other likelihood of lowering Norris’ lead forward of the ultimate two races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
