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The second half of the F1 season represents a new chapter for Red Bull, following the departure of Christian Horner after the British Grand Prix.

Horner's exit from Red Bull after over 20 years as its team principal and CEO was announced just three days on from Silverstone, with Laurent Mekies having been chosen as his replacement.

Mekies has received a direct promotion from the role he had held as Racing Bulls' team boss, to steer the main ship within the Red Bull family.

It is a significant challenge for Mekies, but represents Red Bull moving towards a growing trend in F1 of teams opting for senior figures with an engineering background.

An increasing number of outfits are introducing team bosses who specialise in engineering, the best example being Andrea Stella at McLaren.

The trend has proven to be a success, with Red Bull having become the latest team on the grid to follow it.

Under Mekies' leadership over the last 18 months, Racing Bulls has scored regular points and made consistent appearances in Q3. Having also worked at Ferrari, being involved with a lead outfit is not a new test.

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