Photo: Race Pictures

Mekies retorts to Stella in Mexico: 'We know there is a price to pay'

11:41, 27 Oct

Updated: 13:49, 27 Oct

byOlly Darcy

Laurent Mekies believes there is "a lot more confidence" at Red Bull as he explains the "rationale" behind the team's decision to bring late updates to their car in 2025.

"If we were turning the page at the point of the season where we were very unhappy about this car, not reaching the full potential, then you would go to 2026 with a lot of question marks."

- Laurent Mekies

The Frenchman came into the role of CEO and team principal of the Austrian team after the seismic news of Christian Horner's sacking shook the paddock.

Red Bull had pulled together two wins before Horner's sacking, and at the Dutch Grand Prix, Max Verstappen sat 104 points off the championship leader, Oscar Piastri.

However, a late floor update was brought to the Italian Grand Prix, and it has revitalised both the Dutchman and Red Bull, with Verstappen winning three out of the next four races to whittle the points deficit in the championship to just 40 points.

Max Verstappen celebrating his third win in four races at the United States Grand Prix - Photo: Race Pictures

"With regards to why we have kept developing this car, perhaps a little bit more than the competition, it has nothing to do with '26," Mekies explained in the Mexico City paddock after some questions were asked about hindering Red Bull's development for the 2026 season.

"It was, I think, as we have commented on a few times, if we were turning the page at the point of the season where we were very unhappy about this car, not reaching the full potential, then you would go to 2026 with a lot of question marks in your head and with a lot of wishful thinking.

"So, we have preferred to say we invest a little bit more in this car, we tried to unlock what we felt had not worked and got a bit of performance out of it.

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"It gives us a lot more confidence in tools, methodologies, and approaches going into 26. Yes, there is less time and energy left for that. But that's the rationale behind it. Nothing to do with performance or whatsoever."

Mekies ignores Stella's 'giving up' statement

There were also some questions raised by McLaren and team principal Andrea Stella about Red Bull's late updates, with the Italian stating that the Austrian team would be "happier to give up a little bit" on their 2026 machine after bringing nine updates in the last ten Grands Prix, with McLaren bringing just one in the last seven in comparison.

A war of words then seemed to break out after those comments from Stella, with Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko answering back and laughing off what the 54-year-old had to say.

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However, when posed with the comments made by Stella, Mekies did not indulge in them.

"We are doing it this way because we think for us, let alone the other guys, it's a net gain. We validate our approaches, and hence, we then apply it to 26," explained the Frenchman.

"If we thought it would compromise it, we would not be doing it. We know there is a price to pay, and we think it's reasonable, and we think it's worth it."

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