Max Verstappen smiling - Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

Verstappen reassures Mekies: 'You can't reinvent the whole car'

11:39, 11 Oct

Updated: 13:45, 11 Oct

byLuke-John Buckle

Max Verstappen has shed light on the relationship he has with Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies since the Frenchman joined the team this year.

“Now, you’re not going to reinvent the whole car when you just joined the team."

- Max Verstappen

Verstappen was key to Red Bull's most recent success in the Christian Horner era and praised the new boss, Mekies, for his honesty.

He told Channel 4: "It’s been working well so far. Now, you’re not going to reinvent the whole car when you just joined the team.

“And I think Laurent has always been very honest about what he has done, and I like that. He’s just one of the guys; we get on very well.”

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Max Verstappen has weighed in on Red Bull's pursuit of second place in the Constructors' championship - Photo: RacePictures.

Horner was the first Red Bull team boss when the Austrian outfit joined the grid in 2005. The Briton then led Verstappen to his first win in Spain in 2016.

Verstappen also won four consecutive world titles for Red Bull under Horner's guidance from 2021-2024.

The Red Bull driver highlighted his maiden F1 title win in 2021 as a key moment when working with Horner. Verstappen is also eagerly anticipating the future in Formula 1.

He added: "Before, with Christian at the helm, we achieved so many amazing things together. And honestly, I think the feeling that we had as a team, and how emotional everything was in ’21, winning that championship, that is something that you will remember forever, having lived throughout that whole season.

“It’s a different strategy now in the team. I enjoy working with Laurent, and I’m also very excited for the coming years.”

Verstappen has a slim chance at the F1 title

Verstappen have been very impressive this season, comprehensively beating teammate Yuki Tsunoda. The Dutchman has won two of the last three races in Italy and Azerbaijan.

He is now 63 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri with six rounds to go. Former Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle feels Verstappen senses an opportunity to take the title despite the significant deficit.

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