Mekies: Watching Verstappen is ‘watching history in the making’

Max Verstappen’s late-season charge has not only reignited the Formula 1 title fight – it’s left his own team principal, Laurent Mekies, marvelling at the scale of his performances.

The Red Bull boss says witnessing the Dutchman’s current form is like “watching history in the making,” as Verstappen continues to close in on the championship leaders.

Last weekend in Austin, the reigning world champion stormed to victory at the United States Grand Prix, his third win in five races and his sixth consecutive podium since the summer break. That stunning run has slashed the gap to McLaren’s Oscar Piastri to just 40 points, while Lando Norris sits a mere 26 ahead.

Few could have predicted such a resurgence after Red Bull’s midseason struggles, yet Verstappen has once again turned relentless consistency into a winning weapon.

For Mekies, who took over team leadership after the British Grand Prix, Verstappen’s remarkable rebound represents more than just a return to form – it’s proof that greatness, even in an era defined by fine margins, can still shine through.

“I think watching Max driving is watching history in the making,” Mekies told reporters after Verstappen’s triumph at the Circuit of the Americas.

“It surprises us every time he goes out on track. It surprises us on how much he’s pushing us between a session and another, how much sensitivity he has in stuff that sometimes we can see and stuff that we cannot see.

“So I think watching him is watching history in the making, it’s a good fair point.”

Red Bull’s Unexpected Revival

Red Bull’s comeback has been the foundation of Verstappen’s turnaround. When Mekies stepped in as team boss, the team was struggling to unlock the potential of its RB21.

Just last summer, the Dutchman could only manage ninth in Hungary, and few believed a title challenge was still possible.

“Everyone has been – I’m not going to lie – we have said it, certainly for the people working there, it’s been something nobody was expecting,” Mekies admitted.

“The change that has been made, I did not expect it, they didn’t expect it. It was certainly, for them, probably very difficult to digest and to figure out.”

But since then, the numbers tell a story of revival. In five races, Verstappen has taken four wins – including one sprint – and two second places, making Red Bull the most consistent team on the grid since the summer restart.

Credit Where It’s Due

Despite the attention on Verstappen’s brilliance, Mekies was quick to shine a light on the people behind the scenes who turned Red Bull’s fortunes around.

“It’s important to underline that the turnaround is due to the women and men in Milton Keynes that have been, as we’ve said several times, working on this car, not accepting the limitations of the project, trying to find solutions, not giving up, balancing 2025 and 2026,” he said.

“That’s a very large group that is led by Pierre [Wache], that has managed to turn it around after weeks and months of effort.

“Sometimes you make these efforts and you don’t get the reward on track. In this case, after so many attempts, it’s been positive to see that the car was reacting and that we could give something that our drivers could perform better with.”

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Mekies also expressed gratitude for the welcome he has received since taking charge.

“I can only be very thankful for how open and how welcoming everyone has been,” he said. “It’s been a very good feeling that every day that passes you [get to] know a few more people in the company, you understand a bit more of the dynamics and a bit more of the flows.

“I’m only thankful to everyone there for how helpful they have been in making the transition.”

With five rounds remaining, Red Bull’s resurgence and Verstappen’s relentlessness have turned what once looked like a fading season into one brimming with extraordinary potential.

As Mekies put it, for anyone watching Verstappen right now — “you’re watching history in the making.”

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