Overview
- Verstappen told Sport Bild on Wednesday that there is no team principal in the paddock he would swap for Laurent Mekies, explicitly ruling out Toto Wolff as an alternative.
- He praised Mekies for his technical understanding and personal qualities, calling him a ‘really good person with a big heart’ and saying Mekies connects well with drivers.
- Verstappen stressed his friendship with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is personal and does not affect his professional commitment to Red Bull.
- Recent reports say Red Bull extended Mekies’ contract through 2031, a move that combined with Verstappen’s public backing reduces immediate driver-market speculation.
- Verstappen also assessed the championship picture, calling Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli an exceptional talent with more to gain from a title and suggesting Lewis Hamilton is unlikely to increase his pace further.