F1: Laurent Mekies talked about the possible output of Max Verstappen from Red Bull

The Frenchman is the new director of the Milton Keynes team and premiered in the function in Belgium. The first great work: prevent its star from abandoning the team.

The image of the Red Bull Pitwall was one of the first shots made by the official transmission at the beginning of the activity of the Belgium GP, 13th date of the 2025 season of F1. The spa-Francorchamp’s appointment will be forever in history as The first race without Christian Horner as head of the shield of energy drinks. The English had been in a position that had had him as the sole owner since the birth of the Team. But the processes close and the Board of Directors of the Special Project Department of RB, commanded by Oliver Mintzlaff, said the husband of Geri Halliwell. Horner’s chair was occupied by Laurent Mekies, who held the position of director of Racing Bulls.

The Frenchman not only had to sit for the first time in the chief armchair of Red Bull, he had also had to go through the press conference. “I received a call from Oliver Mintzlaff and Helmut Marko a few hours before you knew and asked me if I was interested in the position. The offer came completely unexpectedly. I was by chance in the United Kingdom, because the Racing Bulls base is in Faenza. I did not accept immediately. I asked if I could think about it a few hours and hung the phone. It is difficult to digest, But the first thing that comes to mind is: ‘Well, wait a second, is Red Bull. They are calling you, they ask you to take care of that position. ‘ And I accepted, ”Mekies said.

One of the first tasks for French will be to convince Max Verstappen to continue in the team. The Dutchman has a contract with the Austrian team until the closing of 2028, but his flirting with Mercedes is public and a resolution for the summer break is expected. “I am sure that Max wants a fast car and, if we get it, I am sure we will cancel all the other considerations,” Mekies said.

Regarding the group found in Milton Keynes, he said: “You see a great desire for everyone to enjoy Red Bull’s energy, perhaps to reduce exterior noise, simply to concentrate on the race. That is what you see and that is what we are going to try to do together. Everyone has supported me a lot. Willing to open the door, willing to speak, to listen, to know what the limitations were, what the strengths, how we prepare to return to the track and fight at an even higher level tomorrow. That is what I hope, “he said.