Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Laurent Mekies has expressed concern after Max Verstappen crashed during qualifying for the 2026 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, leaving the Red Bull Racing driver facing a difficult task from the back of the grid.
Verstappen will start the race from 20th position after losing control of his RB22 during his first push lap in Q1. The rear brakes locked as he entered Turn 1, sending the car sliding across the gravel before it struck the barrier.
The crash added to Verstappen’s frustrations with the new generation of Formula 1 cars introduced for the 2026 season, which have significantly increased the complexity of energy management and overall vehicle control.
Mekies confirmed that the team is still analysing the incident in detail to determine the exact cause of the sudden loss of grip experienced by the Dutch driver.
“What happened to Max is obviously very unfortunate, and the most important thing is that he is okay,” Mekies said.
“At the moment, we are still trying to fully understand what happened. The loss of grip he had to deal with looked very brutal and unusual.”
“We will need to take a deeper dive into the data and analyse everything carefully.”
Despite the setback with Verstappen, Red Bull was able to take encouragement from the strong performance of Isack Hadjar.
Making his qualifying debut for the team, the French driver delivered an impressive performance to secure third place on the grid, behind the all-Mercedes front row led by pole-sitter George Russell and team-mate Kimi Antonelli.
With Verstappen out of contention during the session, Hadjar stepped up at a crucial moment for the Milton Keynes-based team, demonstrating the ability to deliver under pressure.
“We all know how challenging and competitive this sport is; therefore, qualifying P3 today is a great reward for all the hard work behind the scenes done in the last four years,” Mekies explained.
He highlighted that the achievement reflects the extensive development work carried out by the team, not only on the power unit project but also on the chassis development required to meet the demands of the new technical regulations.
“It was a fantastic day for Isack. Qualifying P3 is a huge moment for him,” Mekies said.
“He has put an incredible amount of work in over the winter, and to see that effort translate into a result like this is very special, not just for him, but for the entire team.”
With Verstappen starting from the back of the grid, Red Bull will now rely heavily on Hadjar to secure valuable points in the opening race of the 2026 Formula 1 season in Melbourne.
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