– Max Verstappen is not a fan of the new Formula 1 rules this year. At Red Bull, there is nevertheless no fear that their star driver could leave the premier class prematurely because of it. “No,” clarifies team principal Laurent Mekies after the season opener in Melbourne.
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Over the course of the weekend, Verstappen had repeatedly expressed criticism of the new regulations in the premier class. Mekies explains it like this: “I believe Max cares deeply about this sport, and he gives us many suggestions on what he thinks could be improved.”
“We are listening to him,” he assures and explains that the teams are talking together with the FIA and Formula 1 about “how to proceed”. Verstappen had compared racing under the new regulations to “Mario Kart”, among other things, and stated that it was not fun for him.
“Obviously, this is one of the most difficult tracks [for the new rules],” Mekies says about Melbourne and emphasizes: “It will be interesting to see after China how big the difference is when driving on a track that is slightly less energy-hungry.”
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“If improvements need to be made, I am sure that we as a sport will find a way to implement them,” says Mekies, who at the same time emphasizes that while Verstappen is very critical, he continues to give full throttle behind the scenes.
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“As far as the relationship with the team is concerned, there is absolutely no difference from last year in terms of his attention to detail and his precise feedback on every single aspect,” reports the Red Bull team principal.
“So he is able to set aside his personal preferences when he is in the debriefing with us and we are looking for performance together,” says Mekies about Verstappen, whose contract with Red Bull runs until the end of the 2028 season.
However, there is no guarantee that the Dutchman will fulfill it. Probably the most prominent example is Niki Lauda, who left Formula 1 during the 1979 season because, according to his own statement, he no longer felt like “driving in circles.”
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It hasn’t come to that for Verstappen yet.
