Mekies reveals Verstappen’s unparalleled quality behind Red Bull’s success

It is already 11:30 p.m. local time when Mekies takes a seat in the paddock for his conversation with the assembled press. In the background, it is already clear to see and hear how all the teams and the Singapore Grand Prix organization are working hard to clean up and pack everything away at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

This work begins immediately after the finish of every race and is usually completed incredibly quickly, allowing all equipment to be transported to the next venue. The Red Bull team principal is clearly in his element, and rightly so: with Verstappen in the starring role, his team has convincingly won two races in a row.

Verstappen has played a crucial role in improving the RB22 over the past few months. Following his victory in Singapore, Red Bull’s second consecutive win, GPblog asked Mekies how significant the Dutchman’s influence has actually been on the recent progress. The Frenchman was particularly outspoken about his driver’s technical abilities.

The Red Bull team principal emphasized that identifying a problem is different from solving it. According to him, Verstappen can indicate with great precision where the car is falling short, but it is then up to the engineers to determine how to fix it: "Unfortunately for us, it doesn't mean that we have a fix for it when he tells us what the problem is, but at least he tells us what the problem is. And it's a massive help for the team."

One example of that technical involvement is the changing driving behavior of the Red Bull during a session. Over the past few years, Verstappen has repeatedly pointed out that the car loses stability as a session or race progresses. In particular, the rear can become increasingly difficult to control.

In September, Verstappen said that he had been raising certain problems with the team for years. Mekies acknowledged at the time that Red Bull had indeed been struggling with a deterioration in the car’s driving behavior over the course of a session. Red Bull had already tried various solutions and made progress, but according to the team principal, the problem could not be completely resolved this year. However, Verstappen said in Malaysia, speaking to this site and others, that the RB22’s handling had improved considerably since the updates introduced by the team in Baku.

Verstappen’s precision in detecting changes in his car’s behavior was also evident at the beginning of 2026. During the first winter test in Barcelona, he identified a problem with the RB22’s steering. It affected his feel in the car, but Red Bull initially failed to determine the cause.

It was not until several months later, ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, that the problem was addressed with an adjustment to the steering system. Technical director Pierre Waché acknowledged that Red Bull should have solved it sooner and apologized to Verstappen for that.

Another example occurred during the race weekend in Austria. There, Verstappen described in detail how the rear wheels suddenly lost grip on the exit of Turn 3 and how the engine’s response intensified the problem. As a result, he lost control of his car and with it a fast qualifying lap. A similar problem occurred at Silverstone. Waché confirmed that Red Bull was struggling with the interaction between the power unit and the chassis.

These problems also highlight another aspect of Mekies’ comments: Verstappen’s feedback is not limited to aerodynamics or the car’s setup. Since Red Bull began racing with its own power unit, developed together with Ford, in 2026, his technical input has also been of great importance to the engine division, Red Bull Ford Powertrains.

According to Mekies, the way Verstappen communicates with his engineers helps them understand problems more quickly. Within Red Bull, they openly discuss what is not working, even when the results are disappointing, according to the team principal: "As we said earlier, we do it in a way where we are always very direct and transparent with each other and constructive, even if it comes with emotion sometimes."

The Frenchman sees Verstappen’s contribution across multiple areas of development. This season, Red Bull has worked on both the chassis and the new power unit, while the overall performance of the RB22 has improved significantly throughout the year: "It's a massive boost for the chassis development and a massive boost for the new development. And we wish we could provide solutions faster sometimes, but it's part of the game."