Red Bull Racing intends to use the April break to make the necessary changes to the car and bring the lost smile back to Max Verstappen’s face, which has faded due to consistent car issues and the new regulations.
Laurent Mekies, team principal of Red Bull, acknowledged that there’s a lot of work to do on the car. He revealed that they will analyse all the data, make the necessary tweaks, and try to improve things for the world champion.
His comments come amid Verstappen’s saying he’s considering retiring from the sport by the end of the 2026 season. Before making an official decision, he also wants to wait for the remaining races to assess whether he really wants to quit or stay. He said that he is very “realistic” and has no problem accepting his current standings. He admitted that he’s trying to adapt, but he’s having a hard time enjoying the sport under new regs– as he puts it, “anti-driving.”
Mekies ‘confident’ to make things better for Verstappen post F1 break
During a conversation, Mekies reflected on Red Bull’s plans during F1’s April break as the Bahrain and Saudi GP stands cancelled amid the US-Israel and Iran conflict. He said, “We have a lot of work to do. I’m sure by the time we give him a fast car, he will be a much happier Max. By the time we give him a car he can push and make the difference with, he will also be a happier Max. Honestly, that’s 100 per cent of our discussions right now.”
He mentioned that under these new regulations, some positive aspects have emerged alongside a few tricky challenges, and that the team will hold a meeting to see how they can make adjustments to improve things. “We need the time to simulate back what we see in the data into the tunnel, into our simulator, try some sensitivities and all of that we can do without racing,” he added.
To be precise, Mekise is not expecting a “miracle” at Miami. He’s aware that there’s more work to be done to close the gap. However, he is confident that they will get to the bottom of the issues and get a car on track with possible improvements. For now, his motive is to give the drivers a car that allows them to push and compete with their rivals. Following this, they will make more developments as the season heads forward.
A disastrous start to the season
Last year, Verstappen struggled at the start of the season, but made an iconic comeback, which threatened even the McLarens. He almost closed the more than 100-point deficit, fought till the last lap in Abu Dhabi to lift the trophy, but lost it by just 2 points. But now, since the start of this season, he has found himself competing against midfield teams, struggling to even put his car on a podium under these new regs.
In the Australian GP, he crashed out of Q1 as his car’s rear axle locked up, which led it to bounce, spin, and hit the barriers. He started 20th on the grid and somehow managed to put the car in 6th position at the end of the grand prix.
During the Chinese sprint, Verstappen’s car issues, including tyre degradation and poor balance, recurred, as he experienced the worst start of his career. He ended the sprint in 9th position, scoring zero points. The Grand Prix didn’t end up being better for him either. After reaching 6th, he was forced to retire the car because of issues, with just a few laps remaining for the race to end.
The Japan GP also saw Verstappen’s exit from Q2, and he ended up picking only 4 points in the final race, finishing 8th. He had dropped a position in the current standings, going from 8th to 9th.
