Red Bull Racing's New Principal Mekies Focuses On Retaining Max Verstappen With Competitive Car

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Laurent Mekies, the new head of Red Bull, is focused on ensuring Max Verstappen has a competitive car. This aim is to prevent any thoughts of Verstappen moving to another team. Despite being under contract with Red Bull until 2028, there are rumours linking him to Mercedes due to recent performance dips since mid-2024.

Verstappen's recent achievements have been significant for Red Bull. In 2023, he set a record with ten consecutive wins from Miami to Italy. That year, he also claimed 19 out of 22 races, securing his third drivers' championship in a row. However, this season has been challenging as he trails Oscar Piastri by 69 points, having only won two races compared to Piastri's five victories.

Mekies replaced Christian Horner earlier this month after Horner was dismissed by Red Bull. Mekies outlined his strategy to retain Verstappen by focusing on delivering a fast car. "I'm sure Max wants a fast car and if we get him a fast car, I'm sure it's cancelling out all the other considerations," Mekies stated. His plan involves quickly understanding the team dynamics to enhance competitiveness and make staying with Red Bull an easy decision for Verstappen.

Verstappen started positively under Mekies' leadership, finishing second in Friday's practice session. Although he was nearly half a second slower than Piastri, Verstappen placed himself between Piastri and Lando Norris during Saturday's sprint qualifying. He expressed satisfaction with this result, saying it was already good for the team.

Verstappen acknowledged the gap between him and McLaren but remained optimistic about improving performance. "Being P2 between the McLarens is already a good result for us," he said. He noted that while the gap is substantial, it wasn't unexpected since FP1. Verstappen emphasised focusing on their own race and improving car balance rather than worrying about speed differences on straights.

The Dutchman remains crucial to Red Bull's ambitions despite current challenges. His consistent performance has been vital in their recent successes. As they work towards regaining their competitive edge, both Mekies and Verstappen are determined to close the gap with rivals like McLaren.