Jos Verstappen delivers massive praise for Horner’s ‘extraordinary’ successor

The Frenchman, appointed to steady the ship in Milton Keynes following Christian Horner’s dismissal last July, quickly helped turn the team’s fortunes around, allowing Max Verstappen to push the title fight to the final round in Abu Dhabi against a McLaren that had been the stronger package for much of the season.

Speaking to RTBF, the father of the four-time world champion said he is very pleased with the current situation. "We are very satisfied. The team works very well. There are a lot of newcomers, a lot of new faces. The atmosphere in the team is excellent. Fortunately, calm has returned. It has a positive effect on the whole team."

And about Mekies specifically, he added: "He (Max) has an excellent relationship with Mekies). He knows how to identify and understand people well. They can't fool him, and neither can we, because he understands the data perfectly. On top of that, he's just an extraordinary guy."

Oliver Mintzlaff has dismissed concerns over Verstappen’s future, insisting the team is fully committed to keeping its star driver satisfied. According to him, as long as Red Bull continues to operate with the same mindset and ambition, there is little reason to fear a potential departure.

The Austrian explained that while Verstappen naturally expects to fight for victories and have the most competitive car possible, those goals are fully aligned with the team’s own ambitions.