Red Bull Racing is aware of Max Verstappen’s criticisms regarding the current Formula 1 regulations, but team principal Laurent Mekies shows no concern about the four-time champion’s motivation. Mekies believes the best way to restore the driver’s spirits is to deliver a more competitive car.
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These statements emerged after ironic comments from Verstappen during the weekend in Japan. Questioned about his motivation, the Dutchman responded sarcastically, indicating that he needs to convince himself daily to stay focused.
“No, it’s a valid question. Every day I wake up and convince myself again, and I try,” Verstappen stated. The Dutch driver also joked, saying he finds energy not in coffee, but in the team itself: “Yes, well, Red Bull. Red Bull keeps me moving,” he said.
Mekies, for his part, reinforced that the team’s focus is entirely on on-track performance. According to the official, there are no internal discussions about aspects other than the car’s competitiveness: “We are certainly focused on the competitive scenario. That’s what we do. We are not having any discussions about other aspects. We have a lot of work to do,” he stated.
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The Red Bull boss made it clear that the solution to improving Verstappen’s mood goes directly through performance: “I’m sure that when we give him a fast car, we’ll have a much happier Max. And when we give him a car with which he can attack and make a difference, we’ll also have a more satisfied Max. Honestly, this represents 100% of our discussions,” he said.
In addition to the performance issue, Mekies also commented on the current Formula 1 regulations. According to him, the rules present positive points but also challenges that need to be discussed among the teams: “As you know, the regulations bring some good aspects and others that are more complicated. As a sport, we are going to get together during the break in April with the other teams to see how we can adjust them and make them better,” he added.
Even in the face of Verstappen’s criticism, Mekies showed confidence in Red Bull Racing’s work. The official believes that the car’s evolution will be enough to change the scenario and return the four-time champion to ideal conditions to fight at the front in the next races.
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