Mekies, stepping in for Christian Horner in July, immediately faced swirling rumours about the Dutchman’s future amid links to Mercedes—and yet, Verstappen was quick to allay any uncertainty. “No,” Mekies said when asked by BILD whether he had to persuade Verstappen to remain.
He added that they “never once talked about his future,” because Verstappen himself walked up to him on his first day and declared, “Forget everything you’ve read. I am and will stay with Red Bull, and I’m looking forward to the time we have ahead of us together.”
Success on the track may have dipped for the Milton Keynes-based team this season, but Verstappen’s decision to stay was never in doubt. He confirmed that it was a “very, very simple” call to stay for 2026, despite speculation and a contract that runs until 2028, including an exit clause if he fell outside the top three by the summer break.
Mekies added that there was never any “real doubt” about Verstappen’s commitment: “He has been saying it over and over again… as far as we are concerned, he has always been a part and central to the team.”
Critically, Mekies emphasised what will keep Verstappen firmly in the Red Bull camp: “We have to build Max a fast car… If Max has a fast car, everyone will be happy, Max, those around him, and, of course, us too.”
Mekies has also said he’s been surprised by Verstappen’s technical acumen off the track. “After the first four weeks,” Mekies noted, “Max is even better outside the car than in it,” offering engineers exceptional, highly critical feedback, attributes he described as “truly special”.
With all this in mind, the stage is set for a pivotal phase. Red Bull are constructing their own power unit under new technical regulations, and with Verstappen locked in for 2026, the team’s focus must now shift squarely to performance if they are to restore their position at the front of the grid.
