Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has staunchly defended the team's strategy calls during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. He explained the rationale behind not using team orders as Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar ran nose-to-tail on track.
Verstappen and Hadjar impressed throughout the race, but Red Bull chose not to intervene despite Hadjar having a tyre advantage over the four-time world champion. The situation drew comparisons to Ferrari's indecision at the Dutch Grand Prix, where Lewis Hamilton lost vital time stuck behind Charles Leclerc. However, Red Bull took a different approach in Baku.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Mekies said, "We looked at all these scenarios, honestly, and then we elected to hold the car in those positions. Both drivers have been very good at being disciplined with that. Big well done also to Isack who has raced very cleverly to make sure we get the best team result."
The decision proved fruitful. Verstappen eventually pulled clear of Hadjar and finished just 0.196s behind Mercedes' George Russell after a tense drag race to the line. Red Bull secured its best result of the season with Verstappen second and Hadjar third, marking a competitive weekend for the Milton Keynes-based team.
Mekies added, "Max was flying all weekend. Probably our strongest weekend this year. We finished one tenth away from the win after 51 laps so I think that's what it is. But it was good to have the car P2 and P3 on merit."
He also praised the hard work back at the factory, especially with the upgrades brought to Azerbaijan. "A huge well done to everybody back in Milton Keynes. We had our upgrades here, it was a massive work everybody, chassis side and PU side, to extract more out of the package. It felt very far away the beginning of the season when the guys were lapping a second faster than us - and we are in that fight now. So a big well done to everyone."
With this result, Red Bull shows significant progress and is ready to challenge the top teams for the remainder of the 2026 season. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar proved that teamwork remains solid without the need for team instructions.
Baca Juga
Franco Colapinto dihukum turun 5 posisi grid di GP Malaysia setelah menyebabkan tabrakan berantai di Baku yang menyingkirkan Gasly dan Norris.
Red Bull membela strategi tanpa team order di GP Azerbaijan. Mekies jelaskan alasan di balik keputusan dan hasil double podium Verstappen-Hadjar.
Isack Hadjar mengungkap pendekatan hati-hati usai raih podium pertama sesungguhnya di F1 Azerbaijan. Simak cerita lengkapnya di sini.
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