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Laurent Mekies seems to have misinterpreted Max Verstappen's concerns regarding the 2026 Formula 1 regulations, potentially increasing the champion's frustration. Taking over from Christian Horner at Red Bull, Mekies faces significant challenges as the team prepares to introduce their own engine.
Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images
Laurent Mekies appears to have misunderstood Max Verstappenās concerns about the 2026 Formula 1 regulations, and thatās likely to add to the world championās frustration.
Taking over from Christian Horner, one of the sportās most successful and longest-serving team principals, was never going to be easy for Mekies. He stepped into the role at Red Bull last July.
Mekies quickly earned praise after his arrival by helping Verstappen get back into title contention. But with Red Bull introducing their own engine in 2026, this season was always expected to bring new challenges.
This season hasnāt started well either. Instead of fighting at the front, Red Bull have found themselves stuck in the upper midfield. And while Mekies may have anticipated some early struggles, Verstappenās public hints about retirement werenāt something he couldāve planned for.
Mekies, on the other hand, sounds relaxed about the whole thing and will no doubt call for calm when he addresses Gianpiero Lambiaseās upcoming move to McLaren at the Miami Grand Prix.
While Mekies does acknowledge that rule ātweaksā must be made to prioritise driver skill over battery management, he believes that Verstappenās unhappiness is fundamentally linked to Red Bullās underperforming car.
āIf we get a fast car, there is no discussion about what Max is doing next year, and hence we are focused on that,ā he said recently on the Beyond the Grid podcast.
But Verstappen has consistently said that he would be making the same complaints if he were winning races. His problem lies with the formula itself, not with the RB22.
Mekiesā casual response hasnāt sat well with Verstappen. He sees his issue as much bigger than just performance. For him, itās about how the new regulations shape racing as a whole.
Verstappen didnāt cause Hornerās dismissal, but it was clear he was losing patience with how things were being run. He felt ignored when raising concerns about the carās balance under the previous regulations and was also frustrated when Red Bull made driver changes without consulting him.
The arrival of Mekies brought a shift. Verstappen quickly found himself more at ease, appreciating Mekiesā engineering-first approach compared to Hornerās business background.
Mekies listened to Verstappen on technical matters, making the driver feel his input mattered again. And since then, there havenāt been any negative reports coming from Verstappenās side of the camp.
But if Mekies continues to play down Verstappenās frustrations, he risks repeating past mistakes ā something Red Bull canāt afford right now.
Read more:
Laurent Mekies appears to have misunderstood Max Verstappen's concerns about the 2026 Formula 1 regulations, which could lead to increased frustration for the champion.
Laurent Mekies replaced Christian Horner, one of the most successful and longest-serving team principals in Formula 1 history.
Red Bull is preparing to introduce their own engine in 2026, which is expected to bring new challenges for the team and its drivers.

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