Mekies after final testday in Bahrain: 'We should be proud'

Published on 20 February 2026 by Coen Versteeg

Laurent Mekies, team principal and CEO of Oracle Red Bull Racing, said after the final day of testing in Bahrain: “For the sport as a whole, the three sessions across Barcelona and Bahrain have been fascinating from so many different perspectives – the PU technology, the fuel, the aero, different tyre sizes and, as always at the heart of it all, the drivers leading the narrative as to what these cars are like on track. I believe interest in F1 by the time we get to Melbourne will be off the charts."

He continues: "For our part, those first sessions in Barcelona were a source of relief and pride, especially in terms of what we have managed to achieve so far with the very first Red Bull Ford Powertrains PU. After two weeks of testing in Bahrain, we should be proud of what we’ve achieved up against the established power unit manufacturers, the mileage we’ve completed across the nine days of shakedowns and testing is respectable. As I’ve said before, this is truly remarkable and a testament to all the hours of hard work put in by those back in the factory."

Looking ahead to the team's potential performance, Mekies adds: "Performance? Even with all our technology and simulation tools, everyone will only start to get a partial idea of the pecking order down the pit lane after Saturday’s qualifying session in Albert Park. Next, we go racing. We know we have a lot of very hard work ahead of us to be at the level we want to be. That’s our next mountain to climb, and all of us will be climbing it together as one team”.