Mekies Minimizes Success at Red Bull: Verstappen Praises the Change

Mekies stands firm despite Red Bull’s improvement

Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies continues to refuse to take credit for the remarkable improvement in the team’s performance under his leadership, something Max Verstappen believes Mekies is being “too kind” about. Since Mekies took over in July, Red Bull’s performance has undergone a significant change. Verstappen achieved a podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix after the summer break, followed by consecutive victories in Monza and Baku, before securing second place at the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday. After Verstappen’s victory in Monza in September, Mekies downplayed its impact since taking office. Three races later, his opinion hasn’t changed.

“It’s still zero, guys. It’s still zero,” he told reporters on Sunday night when asked if he would reconsider how much credit he can assume now. “And I say that with the same seriousness that I told you after Monza.”

Laurent Mekies

Mekies explained that the improvement in performance is mainly due to the work of all team members, analyzing the car’s limitations and looking for ways to optimize it. He highlighted the importance of Verstappen’s contributions in this process. The change in performance has led McLaren to consider Verstappen a real threat to Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in the fight for the drivers’ championship. The current champion is 63 points behind the leader, with six races remaining. Verstappen has already praised Mekies for the work done since he took office, highlighting his pragmatic approach to car setup.

“I think Laurent is probably being too kind in that sense,” Verstappen said on Sunday night when informed of Mekies’ comments.

Max Verstappen

Verstappen added that the team has worked together to analyze their weaknesses and improve their performance, which has yielded positive results in the last races. The pilot highlighted the importance of asking the right questions, including Laurent’s participation, to achieve the team’s success.