Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies has acknowledged that Max Verstappen has been identifying situations and issues on the RB22 that the team cannot detect through data and sensors. However, the boss stated that this does not represent a failure by the team, but rather an exceptional quality of the four-time World Champion.
Despite seeing progress from Red Bull in recent rounds, Verstappen hasn’t hidden his dissatisfaction with the RB22 — something he has voiced multiple times throughout the 2026 season. In an interview with the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Mekies explained why he considers this situation a benefit for the team rather than a sign of strain in their relationship with the driver.
“It’s a fact that Max feels things we cannot measure with our current data analysis and car sensors. I’m very honest about that. It’s the result of his exceptional sensitivity and high technical level. I don’t see it as a problem, but rather as a great asset,” highlighted the Red Bull Team Principal.
“To give an example: earlier this year, Max picked up on a steering box issue that we couldn’t identify. Thanks to his feedback, we managed to resolve the matter. As a team, we only gain from this,” he added.
Asked if this situation could cause Verstappen to lose faith in Red Bull’s engineering, Mekies praised the driver and asserted that the same thing would happen at any other Formula 1 team.
“I can say that everything Max feels in the car that we can’t see in the data would also go unnoticed at any other team. That is precisely his main advantage. That’s why he is the driving force behind this team’s success. We are very direct with each other — everyone can see that. We don’t hide anything or tell lies. I understand he gets frustrated at times, but he is a huge support for us, even if it brings out emotions,” the boss stated.
Mekies went on to comment on the Canadian GP episode, when Verstappen criticized the team’s choices over the weekend. The Red Bull chief acknowledged that the driver was advocating for a different setup direction and admitted that, in that case, the Dutchman was right. Still, he explained the reasons that led the team to take a different approach.
“We spoke clearly about it after that weekend. It was a classic ‘I told you so’ moment. But that doesn’t mean we don’t listen to him. Sometimes we want to push the boundaries, and we do that together with the drivers. I have full confidence in our team. We shouldn’t forget that these same people were behind last year’s massive recovery,” Mekies concluded.
Formula 1 now enters its summer break. The category resumes action for the 2026 season from August 21 to 23 with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.
