F1, Sportrik Media - Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has stated he has “zero concern” about Max Verstappen losing interest in Formula 1, despite the Dutch driver’s outspoken criticism of the 2026 regulations. Mekies addressed the issue during the opening day of pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Verstappen has been particularly vocal regarding the new power unit framework, describing the revised regulations as “anti-racing” and likening the cars to “Formula E on steroids.” However, the four-time world champion has since dismissed speculation that he could leave the championship at the end of the 2026 season.
When asked whether he feared Verstappen might become demotivated, Mekies responded unequivocally.
“The short answer is: no. Zero concern about that.”
Attention was also drawn to Verstappen’s comments last season about preferring not to drive the 2026-spec car extensively in the simulator while Red Bull was developing its RB22. Mekies rejected any suggestion that the Milton Keynes-based team had been deprived of critical technical feedback from its lead driver.
“I do recall our conversation last year when he was switching from one car model to another in the simulator, from ’25 to ’26,” Mekies explained. “The difference was so big that at some stage, rightly so, he decided to focus on the ’25 approach.”
Mekies emphasised that the scale of the 2026 regulatory overhaul presents substantial challenges across the board — not only for teams and power unit manufacturers, but also for drivers adapting to new technical demands.
“The reality is that the challenges of these regulations are massive — for the teams, for the power unit manufacturers, and for the drivers as well,” he said. “It’s different for all of us, but that’s also what we love: trying to break through these challenges and find solutions that we didn’t initially see.”
The 2026 rules introduce a stronger emphasis on energy management and hybrid deployment complexity, areas that Verstappen has openly criticised. Nevertheless, Mekies expressed confidence that the Dutchman’s technical understanding and adaptability will once again prove decisive.
“I’m quite confident that, as it unfolds, he will most likely become the best at mastering these regulations, the technicalities and the tricks, just as he did with the previous set of regulations.”
Mekies’ remarks underline that, despite public criticism of the regulatory direction, Red Bull does not interpret Verstappen’s comments as a sign of disengagement. Instead, the team views the regulatory reset as a competitive challenge that aligns with the driver’s proven capacity to adapt and excel under evolving technical frameworks.
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