Max Verstappen says he is “looking forward to working closely” with Team Principal and CEO Laurent Mekies ahead of the Frenchman’s Formula 1 debut leading Red Bull.
Mekies was placed at the helm of the team after Red Bull’s board decided to part ways with Christian Horner after 20 years of service with immediate effect earlier this month.
The ex-Ferrari Sporting Director, who had been at the helm of sister team Racing Bulls, will make his debut on the pit wall for Red Bull at this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.
There is a lot of anticipation around Mekies’ arrival, especially as Horner’s exit is being phrased as the end of an era and the dawn of a new.
Verstappen, who has been speculated to be integral in the team’s decision to sack Horner, has now delivered his statement of intent regarding his new boss.
“I was back at the factory last week to spend some time in the sim with the team,” he said. “I’m looking forward to working closely with Laurent.”
His team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, on the other hand, expects a reunion with his former boss at Racing Bulls to do him some good as he still struggles to adapt to the RB21.
“We are coming into this race in a new era for the team and it will be good to link up again with Laurent,” asserted the Japanese driver.
“We worked really well together at Racing Bulls. I know how he likes to work and our full focus is on pushing forward and for me personally to start delivering the performance we need.”
Verstappen ready for Spa challenge
Verstappen has been ailing from a drop in form of late, with his championship prospects all but over in 2025 as he languishes 69 points behind McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
And while it is being attributed to Red Bull falling down the pecking order in terms of competitiveness and outright balance, the Dutchman is happy to be back in Belgium.
The 27-year-old detailed how he enjoys the challenge posed by the 4.352-mile-long track with its flowly, high-speed corners and is ready to make amends for a disappointing British Grand Prix weekend that saw him relinquish pole position for a fifth-placed finish at the chequered flag.
“Spa is a classic and always my favourite track on the calendar. A very old school circuit where you have to do everything right to get a good lap,” Verstappen added.
“I enjoy the high-speed corners such as Eau Rouge, the layout which is different to other circuits and elevation changes that make the track more of a challenge to drive.”
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