Red Bull focused on retaining Verstappen – Mekies

Belgian Grand Prix

Venue: Spa Dates: 25-27 July Race start: 14: 00 BST on Sunday

Max Verstappen has no doubts about staying with the team, according to new Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies, who says his top priority is to improve the car’s performance.

Verstappen has performance clauses in his contract that could cause him to resign. He is contracted until 2028. Mercedes is interested in the Dutchman for the upcoming season.

“I’m sure Max wants a quick car, and I’m sure it’s canceling out all the other factors,” Mekies said.

“The main goal is really to get to know the team as quickly as possible so that we can see how we can support them, how we can build the next phase of competitiveness, so that we can get a fast car and make it an easy call for Max,” he said.

Mekies was fired as the team’s principal and CEO on July 9th following Christian Horner’s release from his “operational duties” as team’s new principal and CEO.

Mekies claimed to have “begun to understand the strengths and weaknesses of how will eventually be able to support” during his first two weeks in charge.

“Amazing balance and incredible racing spirit are what I’ve been seeing these two weeks.” These people “go overboard in every way possible,” he continued.

Horner has always denied the allegations, but two internal investigations have dismissed them.

Following this, chief technical officer Adrian Newey and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley both left, and strategy head Will Courtenay, who has signed for McLaren but is still being held by Red Bull for the time being.

Mekies remarked, “You do not see witnesses.” Everyone seems to be expressing a lot of desire to consume that Red Bull energy, perhaps to lessen the noise outside and focus on racing. That is what you see, and we will work toward that goal together.

Mekies claimed that since losing their 20-year boss, he has not encountered any negative feedback from Red Bull staff.

He claimed that “everyone has been incredibly supportive.” What were the restrictions, the advantages, the willingness to speak, the willingness to listen, and what would it take to return to the racetrack and engage in combat at an even higher level tomorrow? That is my hope.

And he claimed Horner had been “nothing else than supportive,” which is very impressive given the circumstances. He was instrumental in getting Mekies hired for his previous position as manager of Red Bull’s second team.

In his capacity as the team principal of Sauber/Audi, Wheatley, who was present at the same press conference as Mekies, described Laurent as “an incredibly impressive person. He’s a great manager, and he’s been a friend of mine for a very long time.