Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies praised Max Verstappen’s performance in the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday (6) after the Dutchman secured third place at Monza. Reflecting on the fight with Mercedes, Mekies described the race as Red Bull’s “best in a long time” and highlighted the progress made by the team over recent weeks.
Starting fifth, Verstappen made a strong getaway, avoided trouble in the opening metres and quickly emerged as a contender for the podium. The #3 even moved into the lead for several laps, but ultimately did not have enough pace to keep George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli behind.
Antonelli went on to win his home race from 19th on the grid, while Verstappen settled for third. The result marked his fifth podium of the 2026 season. Antonelli’s historic Monza victory
“This is a very good podium. I don’t think we had Mercedes’ pace, but we weren’t far behind, probably just a few tenths. The good news is that the car was fast enough to keep both McLarens and the Ferraris behind us,” Mekies told Swedish broadcaster Viaplay.
“In terms of pure speed and result, this was probably our best race in a long time. Of course, nothing is perfect, and we’ll only be satisfied when we have better top speed,” the Frenchman added.
Mekies also singled out Verstappen’s aggressive driving during the race.
“Max pulled off some fantastic overtakes and battles, exactly what we love about him. We know we still have work to do, but compared with what we showed a few weeks ago in Zandvoort, this is definitely a big step forward,” he said.
Red Bull’s progress at Monza was particularly notable after the team struggled for balance and rear-end performance earlier in the weekend. Mekies had already admitted before the race that Red Bull could not be satisfied with Verstappen’s fifth-place starting position, despite the improvement shown throughout the weekend. Red Bull admits it “can’t be happy” with Verstappen’s fifth-place grid spot
“We have some underlying problems with the car. They are limiting us this year. We struggle more at one circuit than another, and in certain circumstances the problem manifests itself more than usual,” Mekies explained.
“We know that if we solve this, there is still some lap time to gain. So it really is an opportunity to improve the car. And, of course, when you’re in the middle of the fight, in this case for first and second against the two Mercedes, something like that naturally feels very important in the heat of the moment,” the Red Bull boss concluded.
Verstappen’s third place also came after he had briefly taken the lead following the restart. The four-time world champion later acknowledged that Red Bull lacked sufficient speed on the straights to remain in contention with Mercedes, describing the Silver Arrows as “too fast” at Monza. Verstappen says Mercedes was “too fast” as Red Bull settles for Italian GP podium
The result leaves Verstappen sixth in the 2026 Drivers’ Championship with 127 points, while Kimi Antonelli extended his lead to 66 points over George Russell after winning at Monza.
The F1 season resumes next weekend, from September 11-13, with the Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit in Madrid. The event will mark the circuit’s first F1 race, with GRANDE PRÊMIO covering the 14th round of the 2026 season.
FAQ
When is the next F1 race in 2026?
The next Formula 1 race is the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, scheduled for September 11-13. The race will take place at the new Madring street circuit, which is making its F1 debut in 2026.
Who is leading the 2026 F1 championship?
Kimi Antonelli leads the 2026 Drivers’ Championship with 267 points after his victory at Monza. George Russell is second on 201 points, followed by Lewis Hamilton on 191, while Max Verstappen sits sixth with 127.
How long is Max Verstappen’s Red Bull contract?
Max Verstappen is contracted to Red Bull through the end of the 2030 F1 season after signing a two-year extension in August. Verstappen ends speculation and extends Red Bull contract through 2030
