Max Verstappen says he’s excited to work with new Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies, who takes over from Christian Horner beginning this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.
Mekies’ appointment follows Horner’s departure on July 9 after two decades at the helm. Previously team boss at Racing Bulls, Mekies now steps into the top job at Red Bull, while Alan Permane takes over at Racing Bulls.
Verstappen, returning to one of his “home” races at Spa-Francorchamps — his mother is Belgian — praised the historic venue and welcomed the leadership change.
“I’m looking forward to working closely with Laurent,” said Verstappen. “Spa is a classic — my favourite track on the calendar. It’s old school, has great high-speed corners like Eau Rouge, and the elevation makes it a real challenge.”
Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda, who previously worked under Mekies at Racing Bulls, is eager to reunite with his former boss as he looks to improve his form at Red Bull, having scored just seven points compared to Verstappen’s 129 since joining.
“I know how Laurent works and I’m fully focused on delivering better performances,” said Tsunoda. “Spa is a track I enjoy and could suit us well. The Sprint adds another layer, but I’ve used the break to train hard and reset mentally. I’m ready.”
Red Bull currently sits fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, 288 points behind leaders McLaren, and will be targeting stronger results in the final two races before the summer break.
