Mekies: Verstappen won’t be swayed by Red Bull staff changes

Uncertainty has hovered over Red Bull in recent weeks, but team principal Laurent Mekies is determined to steady the narrative.

Despite the looming departure of long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, the Frenchman insists there is no reason to believe it will influence Max Verstappen and his future in Formula 1.

Lambiase – one of Verstappen’s closest collaborators during his most successful years – will leave to join McLaren in 2028, prompting inevitable questions about stability within Red Bull. But Mekies’ message is calm and unequivocal.

When asked directly whether recent changes within Red Bull could push Verstappen toward the exit, Mekies offered a firm response.

"Absolutely not. That’s my direct answer to you,” Mekies replied. “Obviously, we speak with Max every day. And Max knows motorsport upside down.

"He's living and breathing this team. He knows most of these guys. He understands very well the dynamics that can happen.

"The team has been extremely successful and you can't promote everyone. And some people make some decisions.”

Rather than viewing Lambiase’s departure as destabilising, Mekies framed it as a natural part of a high-performing organization – one where individuals inevitably pursue new opportunities.

For Verstappen, whose relationship with his engineer has been central to his success, the reassurance lies in familiarity.

According to Mekies, the Dutch driver remains deeply embedded within the team’s culture and operations, fully aware of how such transitions unfold.

Progress on track, perspective off it

While attention has focused on personnel changes, Red Bull has also been working to address performance concerns during Formula 1’s April break.

Preparations for this week’s Miami Grand Prix have included testing upgrades during a filming day at Silverstone last aimed at improving consistency – a key priority for the team.

"One thing is sure, we haven't solved everything," Mekies said of the progress Red Bull has made during the break. "But there is no doubt that progress has been made into giving something more consistent to our drivers.

"How does that make you fit in the classifications? It's impossible to know. But in terms of us alone on the track, in terms of giving a more consistent product to our drivers, I'm confident we have made some progress.

“Do we know if we cracked everything? No, we know we didn't crack everything yet.”

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It’s a measured assessment – one that mirrors Mekies’ broader tone. There are no grand claims, no overreactions – just a steady belief that both Red Bull its star driver remain on solid ground.

For Verstappen, the future may still hold unanswered questions – but, according to Red Bull, the departure of a trusted ally is not one of the factors that will define it.

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