P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Max Verstappen has been buoyed by his first impression of Laurent Mekies as the new Red Bull boss as the team adapts to life without Christian Horner in F1.
Max Verstappen is pleased with his initial impression of Laurent Mekies, the new Red Bull boss, following Christian Horner’s departure. Mekies assumed both Team Principal and CEO roles previously held by Horner. Verstappen, despite winning only two races so far in 2025, has expressed confidence in Mekies’ ability to guide Red Bull through the challenging season.
While Verstappen has had multiple meetings with Mekies, he remains tight-lipped about their discussions but praises Mekies’ enthusiasm and motivation in the new role. Verstappen is optimistic about Mekies’ potential impact on the team, even though their backgrounds differ significantly.
Although the Dutch driver acknowledges that changes take time to manifest, he believes Mekies’ extensive experience in Formula 1, dating back to 2001 and including stints at Ferrari, will be advantageous for Red Bull. Verstappen’s positive impressions of Mekies lead him to believe that Mekies’ diverse F1 roles will ultimately benefit the team’s performance and prospects in the championship.
