Red Bull highlights ‘big indication’ from encouraging Miami showing

Red Bull still failed to secure its first podium of the season in Miami, yet Max Verstappen’s weekend offered clear signs of progress for the Milton Keynes-based team, which introduced a raft of upgrades in Florida, including an innovative version of the ‘Macarena’ wing, featuring a different activation concept compared to Ferrari’s. Despite a first-lap spin, the Dutchman delivered a strong recovery drive, fighting for the podium for much of the race before dropping back in the closing stages against Oscar Piastri and George Russell due to heavier tyre degradation compared to his rivals.

Even so, Mekies, speaking to GPblog after the race, highlighted a clear step forward, pointing out that the gap to pole had been significantly reduced compared to earlier rounds such as Japan and China, with the team not only continuing its development push but also addressing key weaknesses that were holding back performance.

Ahead of the Miami weekend, the Frenchman had stirred plenty of discussion with remarks suggesting Max Verstappen’s race engineer could be in line for a future team principal role at McLaren. The comment inevitably prompted a response from McLaren CEO Zak Brown, who was quick to underline the team’s full commitment to Andrea Stella, while also treating the situation with a touch of humour.

Speaking to GPblog after the Miami GP, Mekies moved to downplay the episode, explaining that he and Brown are in frequent contact and had no desire to turn the exchange into an ongoing back-and-forth. He added that the topic was addressed directly between them in a constructive manner before both sides chose to move on and refocus on their respective priorities.