Max Verstappen - Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

Mekies: Verstappen paved the way for Red Bull's Baku revival win

13:58, 01 Oct

byNorberto Mujica

Red Bull Racing's team principal and CEO Laurent Mekies has spoken about how Max Verstappen helped shape the Austrian team's race in Azerbaijan.

Lately it has been revealed that Verstappen is having a bit more of a say during race weekends, regarding set up changes for instance.

But now Mekies reveals another area where Red Bull are apparently leaning on the reigning F1 champion more.

"Max had a very clear idea that it will become a race where you just drive, waiting for the safety car," Mekies said after the race in Baku.

Max Verstappen in Baku - Photo: Race Pictures

"Where you try to wait as long as you can until the safety car comes, because otherwise somebody is going to have a shit pit stop and it's not going to be you."

Stressing how crucial an unexpected safety car intervention may be, the French team principal stated that the team followed Verstappen's initial instincts.

"And in some respect Monza was a bit like that as well. Where we've already tried to extend at some stage in Monza, we had to pit because [the] tyres were pretty much gone and we have been exposed for a few laps to a safety car.

Photo: Race Pictures

"So Max has pushed a lot for that. It doesn't come for free, it doesn't come for free at the race start. Because it's exposing you on other parts of the race.

"If a safety car happens in lap 10, you will not find it funny. But he had it very, very clear in his mind that he wanted to exploit the pace of the car and disappear with the car and he has done exactly that," Mekies concluded.

Red Bull brims with silent optimism

After Verstappen's win in Baku, Red Bull Racing have been tipped to have returned to the fight for victories and perhaps even the Drivers' title itself.

However, the Singapore Grand Prix remains the acid test, even if Mekies assures it will at least not be like the Austrian team's woeful Hungarian GP outing, an outstanding result there would be key to Verstappen's title aspirations and Red Bull's fight for P2 in the Constructors'.

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