Between the news of the Red Bull call and doubts about Max Verstappen’s future in 2026, Laurent Mekies shares insights from his first days in his new role.
The Belgian Grand Prix weekend is certainly a special occasion for Laurent Mekies. The former Ferrari team member will be present for the first time on the Red Bull pit wall in his capacity as Team Principal, a challenging role made even more complex by the uncertainties surrounding Max Verstappen’s future and whether he will remain with the team in 2026.
Laurent Mekies discussed this and much more in an exclusive interview given to the official Formula 1 channels, his first since being called to replace Christian Horner.
The Red Bull Call
“Obviously, it was a bolt from the blue for everyone. I received a call a couple of hours earlier from Oliver Mintzlaff and Helmut Marko. I was surprised. Then you try to process everything and realize that it is nothing but a privilege to lead a team like Red Bull. So, I called them back, and then the story became known to everyone,” Mekies explained, talking about what happened after Silverstone.
“I immediately tried to meet the team, to start getting to know each other and interact, to understand the strengths of each individual and the dynamics within the team. Obviously, I have only had two weeks so far and haven’t done everything that needs to be done yet. It will be a great journey, I am sure of it. Every day is a discovery. What unites everyone is the desire to win. They have incredible competitiveness.” – the former Ferrari team member said.
Regarding having to say goodbye to his former team, the ex-Ferrari representative did not hide some sadness. “At the same time, it was not easy to leave Racing Bulls. We had embarked on a path that was yielding excellent results, and for that reason, I am sorry to have had to say goodbye. But I know they are in excellent hands. Alan is the best person to manage the team since he knows it perfectly.”
Doubts About Max Verstappen’s Future and the Desire to Return to Winning
One of the major issues Mekies will have to deal with in the coming weeks concerns Max Verstappen’s continued presence at Milton Keynes. “At Red Bull, there is only one goal: to win races and championships. That is what we will try to do. It is nothing new, and we will do everything possible to achieve our objectives. It will be important to place the right people in the right positions, giving them everything necessary to work in the best way possible. We have the new regulations debuting in 2026, and everyone on the team has that fire inside that drives them to give their best every day.”
“We are extremely committed to Max Verstappen. That is why we must give him the best possible car. He is certainly central to our project, and we need his magic on track to win. He knows the team very well and is helping us a lot to become competitive again. Regarding his future, I believe the team has everything necessary to convince him to stay,” added the new Team Principal.
“Yuki (Tsunoda) is a very fast driver. I have no doubts about that, and speed doesn’t disappear overnight. The circumstances have not been ideal, which has somewhat penalized him. We will do our best to put him in conditions to perform and bring him back to the level he has shown he can achieve.”
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