Max Verstappen and Laurent Mekies

Verstappen evaluates first weeks with Mekies as Horner's replacement

16:35, 05 Aug

Updated: 17:33, 05 Aug

byNicole Mulder

After two race weekends under the leadership of Laurent Mekies, Max Verstappen speaks positively about the new collaboration. The four-time world champion lauds a key quality of the new Red Bull Racing team boss, speculating that it can only get better.

Verstappen positive about communication with Mekies

So far, Verstappen remains positive about the influence of Laurent Mekies, who succeeded the dismissed Christian Horner. "He's very open-minded. It will only get better and better, the communication that we have, but it's been going really well," he says in a conversation with various media, including GPblog.

Mekies was also asked about his first few weeks at Red Bull. He acknowledged being aware of what awaits him at Red Bull. "We don't underestimate what is ahead of us", he said, among others, to GPblog. He noted that at Red Bull, there is only one question asked every race week: "Did you win or did you not?" In his opinion, this is the mentality within the team.

In addition, Mekies emphasised that there is a lot of talent, skill, and experience within Red Bull. "We all very well know, outside of the noise at the race track, we all very well know that we will make steps thanks to a weekend like that," the Frenchman said. He described his feeling within the team as strong and motivating: "It is not overwhelming. It's a sentiment that we always show more often than not, and I'm sure it will be the fuel of the future success of the team."

Verstappen, Mekies, and Marko

In Hungary, Verstappen didn't reach the podium for the fourth consecutive race. The Dutchman finished the weekend in ninth place, after a troubled qualifying and an equally tough race, in which he barely managed to overtake and even ended up a place lower than where he had started.