F1 TV analyst Alex Brundle has hailed Max Verstappen's long-term commitment to Red Bull as a strong endorsement of Laurent Mekies' leadership.
Following months of speculation regarding his future in Formula 1, the four-time champion put an end to the paddock rumours by signing a new contract that keeps him at the Milton Keynes outfit until the end of 2030.
Red Bull has endured a challenging couple of years with a string of personnel changes, including Mekies stepping up to take the team principal position from the long-standing Christian Horner in July 2025.
Speaking on F1 TV's Weekend Warm-Up broadcast at Zandvoort, Brundle argued that Verstappen's long-term contract sends a strong message.
"It's a pretty important vindication, isn't it, of Red Bull under Mekies from Max Verstappen," he said. "With everything that's been going on at Red Bull, a bit of a brain drain over the last couple of years, losing personnel and all of the rest, it couldn't have gone much better for Laurent Mekies and the team."
Verstappen himself echoed those sentiments during Thursday's press conference, speaking warmly about the working environment and the transparency of the leadership.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull
Photo by: Eric Le Galliot
"Yeah, I mean it wasn't really too stressful," the Dutchman told the media. "It was the right call. I feel really good within the team. We have a lot of belief that we can get back to the top in the coming years.
"For me, this feels like one big family, so I'm just very happy to be a part of that. And over the last few months, you talk about the team moving forward in the coming years, plans, ideas. So it's always been communicated to me in a very open way, and that's what I like.
"I like what they're trying to achieve, and that's why I also want to be part of it in the future."
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Originally published by motorsport.com —
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