Red Bull F1 chief Laurent Mekies reveals negatives of Max Verstappen's form

Red Bull

Red Bull F1 chief Laurent Mekies reveals negatives of Max Verstappen's form

Verstappen's boss reveals it's not always positive having a four-time champion in your driver lineup

By Kerry Violet.

Sunday 28 June 2026 23:05

Red Bull may boast the talent of Max Verstappen among their ranks for now, but that isn't always a good thing according to team principal Laurent Mekies.

The Red Bull F1 chief revealed during this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix proceedings that there is often a downside to having a star driver as fast as Verstappen.

The 28-year-old has four drivers' titles to his name and has frequently reaffirmed that he wishes to only represent the energy drink giants in F1 rather than making the move to a rival team.

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But the Dutchman's loyalty is increasingly being tested in 2026 after the Milton Keynes-based squad struggled to hit the ground running under the new regulations.

As next month's summer break approaches, the pressure is on for Mekies to convince Verstappen to stay instead of activating his contract clause, which is rumoured to allow him to leave Red Bull should he sit outside the top two in the championship once next month's Hungarian GP draws to a close.

Mekies on why Verstappen's speed didn't translate in Austria

As their rivals waste no time in using the first of the upgrade tokens handed to them by F1's governing body, Red Bull are at risk of being left behind on the engine front.

So, in the hopes of securing a more positive result in a bid to keep Verstappen interested in the project, Red Bull have brought a major upgrade to their home race in Spielberg.

Verstappen finished P4 in both of Friday's practice sessions but fell down the order in FP3 on Saturday with the team failing to find the pace overnight like rivals Ferrari and McLaren appeared to do.

Speaking after the final hour of practice in which Red Bull's star driver finished only sixth-fastest, team principal Mekies explained why Verstappen's speed often gives the team and the fans at home false confidence.

"It’s always dangerous to judge the first lap because Max is so switched on in the very first lap because of the track that often it paints a picture of us that is a bit too nice compared to competition," said the Red Bull team principal.

So, lesson learned Verstappen fans. Don't assume that the Dutchman's past impressive form and confidence on his team's home track convince you he is suddenly going to shoot up the order across the rest of the weekend.

He may have four grand prix wins to his name in Austria, but Verstappen will have his work cut out to secure a fifth on Sunday.

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Austrian Grand Prix Laurent Mekies Red Bull Ring