'Verstappen has made clear to us that he wants to continue with the team'

Speaking to the media regarding Max Verstappen's future, after the Dutchman had been linked by the British press in recent days with a sensational McLaren swap involving Oscar Piastri, Mekies dismissed any concerns over the reigning world champion's commitment to Red Bull. The Frenchman stressed that Verstappen's priority is simply having a competitive car and insisted the team is fully focused on closing the performance gap to the front, with the progress made on track ultimately being the key factor for everyone involved.

He then reinforced his stance by insisting that Verstappen has already made it clear he wants to remain at Red Bull, stressing that the team is not constantly seeking reassurances over his future. Mekies explained that the Dutchman continues to play an active role in the car's development, working closely with the engineers and contributing to finding the right direction for future upgrades, making it clear that his future is not currently a concern within the team.

Mekies also commented on the speculation surrounding Paul Monaghan's future at Red Bull after GPblog reported that the long-serving chief engineer is set to leave the team for Cadillac. While the Red Bull CEO stopped short of confirming or denying the reports, he acknowledged that there has been a significant amount of speculation surrounding the team's personnel in recent months. Mekies suggested that many of the names linked with exits remain part of the organisation, adding that some individuals who were rumoured to be leaving never intended to do so, while others have since decided to stay, underlining that not every report reflects the reality inside the team.

The Frenchman also stressed that Monaghan was fully focused on his role throughout Friday's running in Austria, insisting that retaining key personnel and continuing to attract top engineering talent remains one of Red Bull's highest priorities as the team looks to maintain its competitiveness in the years ahead.