Mekies and Red Bull Frustrated: “We Couldn’t Give Verstappen a Fast Enough Car”

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies remains calm despite the mounting tension of the Formula 1 title fight. Following a challenging weekend in Mexico City, where Max Verstappen had to settle for third place, the Frenchman insists there is no reason for panic within the Milton Keynes-based team. 

A Disappointing Weekend in Mexico 

Red Bull entered the Mexican Grand Prix full of confidence. Verstappen had won three of the previous four races and reduced his deficit to championship leader Oscar Piastri from 104 to just 40 points. However, things didn’t go as planned at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. The Dutchman qualified only fourth and struggled to match the pace of Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc in the race. 

Despite a difficult start, Verstappen managed to claw his way back to third, scoring another crucial podium and narrowing the gap in the standings to 36 points. But Mekies admitted the weekend was far from ideal. 

Mekies on Verstappen’s Struggles 

“We’re not going to change our approach,” Mekies told reporters after the race. “Five races ago we weren’t looking at the championship, we weren’t looking at it in Austin, and we’re not looking at it now. Our focus remains entirely on performance, not on the points table.” 

The Red Bull boss explained that Verstappen had been battling the car all weekend. “We couldn’t give Max a car that allowed him to push at his usual level,” he said. “That cost us time. We know what caused it, and we’ll be working on it immediately back in Milton Keynes.” 

Norris Earns Mekies’ Praise 

Despite the setback, Mekies was full of respect for McLaren’s dominance. “All credit to Lando — he was untouchable this weekend,” Mekies admitted. “Even with a perfect car, it would have been difficult to beat him. We just need to make sure we’re back on form in Brazil.” 

With five races remaining, Red Bull faces the crucial task of finding extra pace if Verstappen is to mount a serious challenge for a fifth world title — a challenge Mekies insists the team is ready to meet head-on. 

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Driver profile

  • Team Red Bull Racing
  • Points 3,453
  • Podiums 127
  • Grand Prix 235
  • Country NL
  • Date of b. Sep 30 1997 (28)
  • Place of b. Hasselt (Belgie), NL
  • Weight 70 kg
  • Length 1.8 m
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