Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies reveals how he has not yet spoken with Max Verstappen about his doubts regarding staying in Formula 1. The Dutchman openly hesitated several times during the race weekend in Suzuka about his future in the premier class, but according to the Frenchman, that is not yet a topic of conversation within the Austrian team. ‘I am sure that Max will be a much happier Max by the time we give him a fast car,’ said Mekies.
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Max Verstappen is not a fan of the new Formula 1 regulations and made that clear in Suzuka as well. On the Saturday after qualifying, the driver even sowed doubt about his future in the premier class, and after the race, he confirmed he would think about the continuation of his Formula 1 career over the ‘coming weeks, months’.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies, however, has not yet had a conversation with Verstappen about his future in Formula 1. “We are focusing on the competitive aspect,” Mekies told the media present at Suzuka. “That is what we do. We actually don’t talk about other matters at all. We still have a lot of work to do. I am sure that Max will be a much happier Max by the time we give him a fast car.”
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‘Then he will be a happier Max’
According to the Frenchman, the latter is what will help Verstappen in his decision to stay in the premier class. “As soon as we give him a car with which he can push and make the difference, he will also be a happier Max. At the moment, only one percent of our conversations are about that topic (motivation for the future, ed.). Regarding the regulations: there are both good and more difficult aspects. As a sport, together with the other teams, we will come together during the spring break to see how we can adjust something to make it better,” Mekies concludes.
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