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Laurent Mekies accepts Max Verstappen 'taking a risk' staying with Red Bull
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has addressed Max
Verstappen’s future, acknowledging that the Dutchman is "taking a
risk" by sticking with the outfit. Verstappen’s future was a major
talking point last season, not only because of Red Bull’s initial
uncompetitiveness but also due to the new regulations for 2026.
From the start of the upcoming season, under the new power-unit
regulations, Red Bull will produce its own engines for the first
time in its history—for itself and sister squad Racing Bulls. It is
a major gamble for the Milton Keynes-based outfit, which, despite
receiving technical support from Ford, faces a serious disadvantage
compared to regular F1 engine suppliers Mercedes, Ferrari, and
Honda. Red Bull becoming its own power-unit supplier is largely why
Verstappen was linked with a potential move to Mercedes this year,
but the four-time world champion opted to stick with his current
team. Speaking at the Autosport Business Exchange , Mekies
acknowledged the risk the 28-year-old is taking and that it could
backfire. "You know, one of the many incredible things with Max is
that he’s not sitting outside of the project, watching what we do
and judging what we do," said Mekies, "He is in the project. "He
takes a risk with us; he is aware of the risk he is taking, and he
is aware that when you take risks, you could fall. "He is aware of
the scale of the challenge; he lives and breathes motorsport more
than a large number of us. "He is motorsport. It is day and night,
simply motor racing. Even if it is not Formula 1, it is GT3, and if
it is not GT3, then it is virtual racing and whatever he comes up
with next."
