Red Bull Formula 1 team boss Laurent Mekies has detailed why he believes Max Verstappen‘s value to the team is just as great off the track as it is in the car.
Mekies and Verstappen formed a strong partnership as soon as the Frenchman took over from Christian Horner as Red Bull’s team principal last summer, with Mekies’ engineering-led approach credited as playing a part in the team’s mid-season turnaround.
Speaking to sister publication Autosport on the eve of another crucial campaign for Red Bull, with the debut of its first-ever in-house power units for the brand-new 2026 regulations, Mekies said Verstappen’s role at the Milton Keynes team can hardly be overestimated.
“[It’s been] fantastic,” Mekies beamed. “Max embodies motorsport in every sense, there isn’t a single detail he overlooks. What he does behind the wheel is clear to everyone, but from the inside you can appreciate his extraordinary technical sensitivity and his complete understanding of this sport, which I imagine comes from having been immersed in it his entire life.
“He has a limitless vision; his role goes far beyond driving. He’s a true driving force for everyone working on the project and plays a crucial part in the whole system. He’s involved in every aspect, when we take risks, when we face setbacks, in every decision. In a regulatory shift as radical as this one, he’s an enormous added value.”
Red Bull Racing has looked more competitive than initially expected with its in-house power units.
Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Verstappen will receive another new partner this year in the shape of 21-year-old Isack Hadjar, who has been promoted after an impressive rookie season at sister team Racing Bulls, the Anglo-Italian outfit previously led by Mekies.
After years of suffering with underperformance in its second seat, Red Bull is desperate to have both cars freely scoring points, and so far Mekies has been impressed with what he has seen from the sophomore racer upon their reunion.
“So far he has done everything the right way, showing the correct approach in terms of commitment and personality,” Mekies said about his fellow Frenchman. “He immediately moved to England, he’s at the Milton Keynes headquarters every two days, and he’s living in close contact with the team. Between the two Sakhir tests he went back to the simulator, he’s leaving nothing behind.”
While Red Bull’s power units have defied all expectations with their performance and reliability, Mekies is still expecting the squad to start the 2026 era behind Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.
“We’re all aware that, even with an extraordinary starting point, we’re up against giants of motorsport with immense experience,” he cautioned. “We’ve climbed the first mountain, but there’s another one ahead. We’re here to fight, at the moment a bit behind the other three top teams, but ready to give everything to catch up.”
Read Autosport’s entire interview with Laurent Mekies here.
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