Laurent Mekies says Red Bull had little choice but to order Max Verstappen to hand back two positions shortly after the start of the Spanish Grand Prix, a decision that left the Dutchman fuming.
The drama erupted almost immediately at the Madring last Sunday. Verstappen went off at Turn 1 while battling Lewis Hamilton for third, an escape route that allowed him to avoid potential contact but also left Red Bull facing an awkward question: should the Dutchman simply keep the place he had gained?
The answer from the pit wall was a firm no.
Verstappen was ordered to return the position to Hamilton, with the consequence that Andrea Kimi Antonelli would also be allowed through. That sent the four-time world champion into an incandescent radio protest.
“We think we should give the position back to Hamilton, that means letting Antonelli through as well,” race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase told Verstappen.
“Mate, what the f**k are you guys talking about?” the Dutchman replied. “He would’ve shunted it. Like what are you guys talking about? If I just stay on the track, I am out of the race.”
For Red Bull, however, this was less about appeasing Hamilton than avoiding an even bigger headache later in the afternoon. Red Bull chose the pain over a penalty
Choosing pain over penalty
Mekies acknowledged that asking Verstappen to surrender two positions was hardly likely to earn “a thank you email” from the four-time world champion in the heat of the moment.
The calculation was nevertheless straightforward: accept the immediate damage, avoid the stewards and give Verstappen the opportunity to recover the lost ground on track.
"We would have simply been penalised either five seconds or ten seconds at their discretion. So that’s what would have happened,” Mekies told F1 TV.
“And of course, if you can imagine race scenarios with a Safety Car or other circumstances, it can cost you a lot more than a position or two.
“Luckily Max gave away the position before Lewis retired and ultimately continued to fight the race from that point.
“Of course it is frustrating but, in fairness, I think P2 was the absolute best we could have achieved today.”
And that, ultimately, was the sting in the tale: Verstappen’s furious protest was followed by exactly the recovery Red Bull had hoped for.
Verstappen still believes he had no choice
Once the race was over and the temperature had dropped, Verstappen reiterated his belief that he had been forced off the circuit at Turn 1 to avoid contact with Hamilton.
"I would have had damage at the start if I would have stayed on track, so then the win was also not on. It’s as simple as that,” he said.
"I just did my own thing in Turn 1, but Lewis went for a move on the first two [drivers] and bottomed out on the kerb. He just jumped back onto the track and that’s why I had to go off the road.
"If I would have stayed there, I would have definitely had contact. Then my race could potentially have been over in Turn 2, and that’s why I think I’m happy to be where we are now."
In the end, Verstappen recovered to finish second behind Antonelli, turning an opening-lap controversy that briefly threatened to derail his race into another podium.
Still, Red Bull’s decision ensured that Verstappen had to fight his way back rather than fight the FIA. And for Mekies, that was a trade worth making — even if his driver made his feelings spectacularly clear at the time.
Read also: F1i Driver Ratings for the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix
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