Max Verstappen issues early praise to new Red Bull chief Laurent Mekies: “Very motivated”

Four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen has praised new team chief Laurent Mekies ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Mekies stepped into the role of Red Bull Racing CEO and team principal on 9 July after Red Bull made the decision to replace Christian Horner. The Belgian Grand Prix last week was Mekies’s first experience of a race weekend with the Milton Keynes outfit. Although not directly related to Mekies’s influence, the team received a boost with Verstappen taking the victory in the sprint race.

“Yeah, absolutely. That’s always the case,” Verstappen explained to Motorsport.com and other media in Hungary when asked if the team boss change presented an opportunity for a reset in the team.

“Of course, it’s still very early days, but I do like how Laurent is working, very motivated, constantly asking the right questions to me, but also to the team.
 
“I think it’s nice to see. Hopefully, of course, this year it’s very difficult to see any kind of benefit from that, but I hope in the coming year, two years, that we can really see his touch to the team. I’m very excited for that.”

Verstappen’s team-mate Yuki Tsunoda also discussed being reunited with Mekies, after working with him during his stint at the Red Bull sister team, Racing Bulls.

“Well, to be honest, recalling race week, everything was super quick, super busy. So it’s hard to say,” the Japanese driver explained when asked by Motorsport.com if there were any notable differences between Mekies and Horner.

Laurent Mekies, Red Bull Racing CEO

Photo by: Erik Junius

“I feel like it’s going to be more relaxed for him as well. So, yeah, let’s see. What I felt different was it’s more like kind of flashback when I was in the VCARB. Like every session after he always comes to myself and asks about feedback, how the car felt, how I was in the session compared to other competitors, where I was lacking most in terms of corners, everything.

“So those kind of conversations I had definitely more than… I have more now with Laurent and especially like kind of little touch… in qualifying, for example, going through Q3 and in VCARB when I was going through Q3, he always gives me a bit of smiles from [the] pitwall and that kind of thing. I had exactly the same. When I went to Q3, he gave me a nice smile from pitwall, those kind of extra confidence or extra kind of comfort that he gives from his generally nice aura and treatment is there.”