FIA Team Principals press conference – Belgium

TEAM REPRESENTATIVES: Laurent MEKIES (Red Bull Racing), Jonathan WHEATLEY (Kick Sauber), Ayao KOMATSU (Haas)

Q: Laurent, if we could start with you, please. Many congratulations on the new job, first of all. You've been in it about two weeks. Can you start by giving us your first impressions of Red Bull Racing?

Laurent MEKIES: You know, the first impression is that you get into the building – a building Jonathan knows very well – you get through the trophy room and how can you feel? You just feel honoured, privileged. It’s unbelievable achievements that the team have been getting the last 20 years. So that’s the first wow effect you get. And then, of course, what these two weeks have been about is really trying to meet as many people as possible from the team. There is no other way, I think, to try to get to know the team, to start to understand the strengths and the weaknesses, to understand how we will be able to eventually support. That’s what I’ve been doing the last two weeks, trying to meet as many of our people as possible. And the good news is it’s an incredible team. They didn’t win by luck or by mistakes. They won because of the accumulation of talents that there is in the buildings. Every small box you open and you look at how they go about a given topic or another thing, every time you say, “Wow, that’s really nice.” And that’s all coming from the people there at all levels that have been doing amazing jobs for all these years. Maybe that man [Wheatley] as well. So really, that’s how the first two weeks have been.

Q: And have you seen enough to be able to tell us what you think the biggest differences are between Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls where you were before?

LM: The short answer is no. I think it would be wrong to compare teams at this stage. But it’s fair to say that the game is changing when you try and fight for wins, when you’re trying to fight for championships, and how extreme you have to go in every single area to grab the last bit of performance. That means you need to make some very bold choices, very bold decisions. This is what you find in all these small boxes we were talking about before – how extreme the team goes about every single detail in order to eventually get that ultimate performance that you need for the sort of ambition the team has.

Q: Jonathan, if I could come to you now, you joined Sauber mid-season. How difficult is it to pick up the baton during a busy racing season?

Jonathan WHEATLEY: I think it’s a challenge, but everything about being a team principal of a Formula 1 team is a challenge. You can’t always choose when you start the position, and you have to make the most of it. It’s been a very intense period of time, my first four months or something with the team. I have to say I’ve loved every second: the new challenges, the energy, the atmosphere in the team. And of course, that’s just getting stronger, and the energy is just getting more intense as a result of our performances recently.

Q: Just on the topic of Red Bull Racing, it’s a team where you spent many years. Can you just give us your thoughts on the news that Christian Horner has been relieved of his operational duties?

JW: I’d like to start by saying look at what Christian achieved in that team. Look what the team that he was part of achieved over the last twenty years. I had a fantastic time in Milton Keynes. I have a slightly more scenic drive to work now, but I know the strength and depth of the people there, and I know the task that Laurent’s taken on is going to be exciting for him. I want to say on a personal level that I wish Christian absolutely the very best in the future, but also that two really good friends of mine, this gentleman sat to my right here Laurent and also Alan Permane, it’s provided opportunities in their careers and their career development. Honestly, out of everything comes something hugely positive, and I’m really, really pleased for Laurent and Alan.

Q: Jonathan, your team has scored more points in the last four races than Red Bull Racing. In terms of performance, do you feel you’re building some momentum now in Hinwil?

JW: Yeah. I mean, look, let’s face it. I doubt we’re going to be regular competitors for podiums. But what I think it showed is that the small gains we’re making behind the scenes, the things people can’t see necessarily, on top of the performance we’re putting on the car towards the end of a set of technical regulations where normally things are stale, all show good signs for the future. Like I said earlier, there’s a great energy in the team. We’re moving forwards. I’m not entirely sure we could have delivered that result earlier on in the season because you have to get everything right to get a podium, as these gentlemen know. But we got a great time to enjoy it and actually got to breathe and enjoy it at the factory before coming to the next race.

Q: Ayao, thank you for waiting. Let’s come to you now. Am I talking to a team principal or a racing driver? Just how much did you enjoy driving the Haas at Goodwood last week?

Ayao KOMATSU: I think everyone knows I’m not a racing driver! Far from it. I’m very grateful. Amazing opportunity. I used to go to Goodwood all the time, seeing those cars going up the hill, and I never thought I’d drive a car one day [there], let alone a Formula 1 car. When we asked Gene to drive and he said yes, we decided to do the preparation together, but I still wasn’t going to drive it. Then he very generously let me do it with him. I’m very grateful about that. The best thing is we celebrated our ten years really in style, and Gene absolutely loved it. I’ve never seen him smile so much, shaking hands with everyone, interacting with fans. That was a great experience all around.

Q: You said after Silverstone that the team had underperformed in the race. What were the issues there?

AK: Issues, honestly, starting from myself really, the whole team including myself. I think we had a wrong mindset. I think Jonathan’s team and Nico showed us how to do it. We knew we had a fast car. We knew we had fast drivers. What we should have done was just focus on our race, look at what’s in front of us, and do the best. Don’t worry about the results because the result will come.

I think Nico and Sauber made all the right decisions, judged the conditions very, very well, and then executed it. Such great teamwork. So honestly, congratulations for you guys and also very happy for Nico as well. It’s a shame that Nico couldn’t do it with us when he was with us, but again, it just shows it’s so important to work as a team with the correct mindset, correct objectives. Just our approach was wrong. The good thing is we’ve got the machinery to do it. We’ve got the drivers to do it. We just need to put it right.

Q: I hope we might get mixed conditions this weekend here at Spa. Are you entering the race weekend with a different mindset?

AK: 100%. Yes.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Ian Parkes – RacingNews365.com) Question for you, Laurent. Can you just give us an idea as to how things played out in the days following the British Grand Prix as much as you’re allowed to, of course, with regard to the approach that was made to you to take over and, of course, your reaction to the news that the owners had decided to relieve Christian of his operational duties?

LM: Thank you. Well, it was not very different for me than it was for you, really, guys. I got a call a few hours before you guys were made aware. I got a call from Oliver [Mintzlaff] and Helmut [Marko], and they asked me if I would be interested to do the job. Obviously, it came out of the blue at that moment for me. I was actually in the UK at Racing Bulls and it came in a completely unexpected way. I actually asked them to think about it for a few hours and hung up the phone. It’s difficult to digest. But the first thing that comes into your mind is, “Wait a second. It’s Red Bull. They are calling you. They ask you to step in to do that job , with everything that Red Bull means – its energy, its spirit, how they go about their racing teams” and that’s how you pick up the phone and you say, “Of course, it’s an honour. It’s a privilege.” First thought obviously goes in this moment as well to Christian because it’s not something I could have expected. And he had been nothing else than extremely supportive with me these last two years. It’s not a secret that he’s the one with Oliver and Helmut that brought me back to the Red Bull family a couple of years ago. So that’s the sort of mix of emotions you get at that moment. But as I said, the dominant one is: it’s Red Bull calling. I guess it’s a matter of loyalty to go towards the brand and you just say, “Of course, if you think you need me there, I will go there.”

Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Laurent, another one for you. Max Verstappen’s future has obviously been a big talking point in Formula 1 over the past few months. For you, how much of a priority is ensuring that Max will be remaining with the team for next year and the foreseeable future? And what conversations have you had with Max about his future?

LM: In terms of priority, I’m sure what Max wants is a fast car. If we get him a fast car, it cancels out all the other considerations. So really, the focus is very much, as we said earlier, to get to know the team as quickly as possible in order to see how we can support, how we can build the next step of competitiveness in order to get a fast car and hence make it an easy call for Max.

Q: (Andrew Benson – BBC Sport) Laurent, it’s for you again, I’m afraid. What qualities do you think Oliver and Helmut saw in you that made them want to make you team principal? And what initial impressions have you formed about where Red Bull have gone a little bit off the rails so far this year and last?

LM: The first question you will have to ask them. I’m not going to take that one. The second question: all I’ve been seeing in these two weeks is extraordinary talent, incredible racing spirit. These guys go on the edge on every single aspect. There is not a single department where you see a bit of a feeling of laying back or resting. They really are at war, in the good sense of the word, in every single aspect. That’s what you see, Andrew. So, in front of that, what we are going to try to do is make sure that all these women and men have everything they need to express themselves at their best, that they are supported, that they have all the means they need to show their talent.

They have been showing season after season that they are the best in the world or, if they are not, they are very close. To your point, you do not see weaknesses. You see a lot of desire from everyone to get that Red Bull energy, perhaps to reduce the noise outside, just to concentrate on racing. That’s what you see, and that’s what we are going to try to do together.

Q: (Scott Mitchell-Malm – The Race) When you had your conversations with the shareholders about the decision, what was explained to you in terms of the timing of doing it now? And what kind of plan’s been outlined to you in terms of how you will run the team and how things will work? Because Helmut mentioned in an interview this week that the idea will be reduced responsibilities versus Christian and a tighter focus on the race team, for example.

LM: It’s probably, because of everything we’ve said earlier about trying to get to know the team, trying to understand the dynamics, trying to understand the strengths and the weaknesses, a bit early to talk about structure. But for sure, one thing that is very high in our priorities is to make sure that we have the right focus, that we avoid any bottlenecking in the company at all levels. It’s with that spirit that we look at what we need to do next. For sure, Formula 1 comes first. We have the chassis operation, the power unit operation. That’s what is going to be the main focus. It’s a racing team. People in the team love racing. That’s what they are here for. That’s going to be where the main focus is.

Q: (Giles Richards – The Guardian) Again for you, Laurent. This has been quite a seismic shift for many people in the team, many of whom have been there as long, if not slightly longer, than Christian. You’ve had two weeks now. Can you just tell us what is the state of morale within the team as they deal with this big change?

LM: For sure, the first 24 hours were a big adjustment because nobody was expecting it. The first few hours after the announcement were a surprise for everyone and certainly a digesting phase for everyone. What can I say after that? I’ve only been finding a huge amount of support from everyone. They just want to go racing. They are hugely respectful, and we all are, of the achievements that have been made under Christian’s leadership. Could I be hoping for more support, openness from the people I’ve been meeting these last two weeks? No. Everybody has been incredibly supportive, willing to open the door, willing to speak, to listen, to explain their limitations and strengths, how we go next about going back to the racetrack and fighting at an even higher level tomorrow. That’s what I’ve found.

Q: (Ronald Vording – Motorsport.com) Another one for you, Laurent. Last time Christian was in the FIA press conference, he said Red Bull has had two really successful eras in F1, and now it’s all about building a third one. Do you think that’s the current state of the team, that it’s somehow a transitional phase and that maybe building that third era is a long-term project, also given that some of the tools, including the wind tunnel, will be online a bit later on?

LM: We normally don’t like very much the word ‘transition’ in Formula 1. You’re right, Red Bull F1 has had these two incredible eras of success. I think the next one is dictated by the change of regulations for next year and the amazing decision to go with our own power unit with Ford. That’s what will dictate a new era whether we want it or not. I think all the teams will be starting a new era because of the scale of the regulation change next year.

Q: (Phil Duncan – PA) Laurent, another one for you. I just wondered if you’d spoken to Christian since you’ve taken on the job. And also, Christian was obviously a big character in the sport over the last twenty years. Do you feel under pressure in any way to fill his shoes both on and off the track?

LM: At first, yes, we have spoken. He has been nothing else than supportive even in the extremely difficult context for him. He was the first one to text, he was the first one to call. I think, again this morning or yesterday we texted again. He has been nothing else than supportive, which is very impressive in the context. Nobody is going to replace his character. Nobody is going to replace him like for like. I come in to do the CEO and team principal job. Is there any way one can do it in the same way as Christian? No. Or at least, certainly not me. But we’ll be relying on the incredible strengths that there are in this team. Everybody is stepping up. It’s certainly an opportunity to look for even more empowerment of our people. Every time we have discussions with Jonathan, we talk about how much strength in depth you have in this team, and that’s what you find. We will certainly look at this phase as a way to get our incredible people to step up and create together the next competitive advantage for the next regulation phase.

Q: (Ivo Pakvis - Panorama) Question to Laurent and Jonathan as well. Red Bull has always been known for a very distinctive team culture. Do you think that will change with new people at the top?

JW: Laurent is an incredibly impressive person. He’s been a friend of mine for a really long time, and he has a wonderful way of managing people. I think the team principal’s role is very much to motivate the team, to put the right people in the right positions and give them the best opportunities and the tools they need to do the job. I have no doubt whatsoever that Laurent is going to excel in that regard. I just want to say again, I want to wish him all the very best in the future, and I couldn’t be happier for him.

LM: You’re a bit too kind. What we want to get there is…. You’re asking about the culture, everybody loves the Red Bull approach, everybody loves the Red Bull energy. I’m sure you all recall the early days when Red Bull started in Formula 1, and I’m sure Jonathan remembers them very well. We all want to feel that energy. We all want to go racing. That’s what we all love, and that’s the basis of our culture. Yes, it is a Red Bull culture. It’s a Red Bull energy: work hard, play hard, and try to only think about racing.

Q: (Leonid Kliuev – Grande Premio Brazil) One more question for Laurent. Any details you can share about your current agreement with Red Bull? Is it just for this year? Is it multi‑year? And are there any clear goals for you to achieve, a particular place in the championship, to retain Max maybe?

LM: Thank you. Not sure how much I can share. Seriously, I don’t think anyone doubts what Red Bull F1 is here to do in terms of objectives. I don’t think anyone doubts what the objectives of the team are short term, mid‑term, long term: it’s to fight for wins and to fight for championships. That’s what it is. In terms of mission statements, that’s of course the objective for the time being, For the short term and the mid‑term, is it different to what it was yesterday? No. Does anyone have a contract that guarantees him to stay forever? No. I don’t either. But I think it’s pretty normal in Formula 1.

Q: (Louis Dekker – NOS) For the other two: 20 years is a long time. Have you ever had the ambition to stay on for twenty years? And Laurent, for you, what will you be doing in 2045 when Max is 47 and you have a lot of grey hairs and be an old man?

AK: Twenty years? I don’t know. I didn’t think about it like that, to be honest. I wanted to do Formula 1 since I was 14, then came to England when I was 18 and started working in 2003. Every year has been a new challenge. There’s never a moment of boredom at all. You continue to make progress as an individual, as a team, looking for the next stages. So, I don’t count the years. It just happened that I’ve been here for more than 20 years. But it’s as fresh as anything. It’s very exciting – new challenges we get every single time we do our job. I’m looking forward to another new challenge continuously.

JW: I guess when I came into the sport, I thought I’d do it for a couple of years. That was 34 years ago. Twenty years ago… Crikey. I never thought I’d meet somebody like Dietrich Mateschitz. What can happen in twenty years is extraordinary. The team he built, to be part of that journey, was incredible. Flavio Briatore…. The people that you meet, the opportunities that Formula 1 gives you… the excitement I still get about coming to Spa‑Francorchamps after all these years. There’s something in all of us, we share this positive energy and love for the sport. It’s well known I started as a mechanic in 1991. I’m sat here as a team principal now. The opportunity that Formula 1 gives to people – I say to so many young people when I first meet them when they’re coming into the business or trying to find out about it – I’m fully energised. I don’t know if I’ve got another 20 years at the cutting‑edge level, but it’s a remarkable sport. We’re all honoured and proud to be part of it, and I’m looking forward to whatever the next part of the journey is.

LM: It’s exactly as Jonathan and Ayao said. The truth is we are Formula 1 fans. That’s who we are. We have been from very early days, from childhood, and somehow without understanding exactly why and how you end up being paid to actually witness your hobby. To this date, for every single race, there will be a moment in the weekend where you get into the garage, where you plug in on the pit wall and you have that feeling: “I have the best seat to watch the race weekend.” That’s how we feel. I hope that’s also how a lot of you feel. That’s the passion we have in the sport. So, as a result, we don’t count the years – our hair is counting for us – but that’s really how you feel. We are extremely lucky, and that’s why it’s important to keep that perspective and keep the right energy and the right spirit when we come racing. As much as we are competitors and live and die for the competition, we are also hardcore fans – and very privileged hardcore fans.

Q: (Michaël Duforest – Auto Hebdo) A question for all three of you and continuing on that topic. You have all started your journeys in this current position in the last eighteen months, and there have been a lot of changes in the team principal group of Formula 1. What do you think about this new generation that you guys are part of now? Ayao, should we start with you?

AK: Yeah. I think every situation is different. People have very different backgrounds. Jonathan was a mechanic; I came from an engineering background; some people come from more commercial or business backgrounds. Every team is built differently. I think the important thing is, like Laurent’s been saying, you really have to spend time listening to people, understanding what we need to perform in each team. I’m sure each one of us thinks about understanding the organisation, the people, trying to get the best out of them. I don’t know if it’s just a generation difference, but certainly when I talk to people like Laurent, Jonathan and other team principals, the way we try to approach it, regardless of background, is actually very similar. It’s a huge team sport. Nobody can do it on their own. It’s not a dictatorship. You really have to motivate people, listen to people, facilitate, provide an environment where these talented, hardworking people can perform. I don’t know if it’s a generational thing, but that’s how I see it.

JW: I would just build on what Ayao said because he’s hit the nail on the head. I think there’s a common theme that runs through all the team principals, which is passion for people and passion for the sport. Without the people, there’s just a lot of machines in empty rooms, in big vast factories – maybe not big vast factories in our respect at the moment. It’s about empowering those people, and you feel it. There’s a common thread that runs through all of us.

LM: Very, very similar really. We call it the ‘hidden lap time’. It’s not a lap time that will appear on your wind tunnel tracker or engine power tracker, but it’s how much your people are engaged, how much they are motivated, how much they trust each other, how much they help each other. I think we all agree that’s where the business is right now. That’s where you can and have to make a difference. It’s good news for everyone. It means it’s more than ever a people’s business, also because the size of the teams has grown so much that the difference between having everyone at 100% or not sometimes outweighs one innovation or another.

Q: (Tom Cary – The Telegraph) Laurent, last one for you. You mentioned in your conversations with Oliver Mintzlaff and Helmut Marko that when they offered you the job you were surprised. Did they offer you any reasons why Christian Horner had been dismissed at that point? Are you clear on why and why now?

LM: The short answer is no, they haven’t. We didn’t get into the why and the why now, but they outlined the sort of objectives they had for the team moving forward.