Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies dismisses rumors of Max Verstappen joining McLaren, insisting the champion remains committed as the team works to regain its competitive form
SPIELBERG
Despite swirling rumors linking him to a move to McLaren, four-time world champion Max Verstappen remains committed to Red Bull, according to team boss Laurent Mekies. As the Formula One circus descends on Austria for the team’s home race, speculation about the Dutchman’s future has intensified due to Red Bull’s recent struggles.
Red Bull has fallen to fourth in the current standings, a sharp decline for the former dominant force. This dip in form has sparked intense paddock chatter, including reports of “secret” talks between Verstappen’s camp and McLaren. Adding fuel to the rumors is the fact that Verstappen’s long-time race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, already has an agreement to join the Woking-based team. However, McLaren has publicly maintained that they are content with their current driver lineup of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Mekies addressed the situation, emphasizing that Verstappen’s primary focus is on helping the team regain its competitive edge. “Max has made clear to us that he wants to continue with the team,” Mekies stated. “It’s equally clear that he needs a fast car for him to be happy.”
Currently, Verstappen has managed only one podium finish in the last seven rounds. Mekies stressed that the team is focused on development rather than transfer gossip. “We are not asking Max every week,” he added. “The topic for us is to get the car back to where we want it to be.”