Mekies talks Verstappen's new deal, Hadjar injury and Lawson return
There is nothing quite like a Thursday in the Formula 1 paddock to completely rewrite the script. When the teams reconvened at the Dutch Grand Prix, Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies sat down to unpack a whirlwind of major news that instantly reshaped the Milton Keynes-based squad's landscape, headlined by a massive contract extension for Max Verstappen that locks the four-time World Champion into the team until at least the end of 2030.
Speaking on the top floor of Red Bull’s hospitality unit at Zandvoort, Mekies made no secret of his excitement regarding Verstappen's renewal. Calling it phenomenal news for Oracle Red Bull Racing and motorsport in general, the team boss emphasized that securing the best driver on the grid for another four-and-a-half years is an incredible demonstration of trust in their vision and culture. At the same time, Mekies acknowledged the heavy responsibility it places on the team to deliver a fast chassis and power unit to bring them back to the top as soon as possible after a tricky start to 2026. According to Mekies, Verstappen always maintained he wanted to stay, and despite frustrations during a complicated first part of the season under new regulations, their shared desire to win keeps them brutally honest with one another.
Unfortunately, celebrations over Verstappen's future were swiftly met with some medical misfortune elsewhere in the garage. His 2026 team mate, Isack Hadjar, has been ruled out of action for the Dutch Grand Prix due to a wrist injury he sustained while training over the summer break. Mekies noted that Hadjar is alright and will arrive at the track, but with the rookie having enjoyed a fantastic start to the season and getting stronger session after session, the team decided to take zero risk with his recovery and hopes to have him back in the car very quickly.
That unfortunate setback has opened the door for Liam Lawson to make his return to the senior team. Having rebuilt his career and reputation over the last season-and-a-half following a difficult promotion and demotion early last year, Lawson is stepping in as a temporary replacement, with 2026 reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda taking his spot next to rookie Arvid Lindblad at Racing Bulls. Mekies praised Lawson's resilience in reconstructing his performances, calling the opportunity very well deserved, while also noting that Tsunoda's patience in the simulator has earned him a welcome return behind the wheel.
As Zandvoort kicks off a busy second half of the 2026 season, Red Bull finds themselves aiming to join Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren as Grand Prix winners under F1’s new regulations. While recent updates to the RB22 challenger have helped close the gap from a bit more than one second off the pace at the beginning of the year to probably now in the last three-tenths to the front, Mekies made it clear that the mood will not be high until they are back to winning. Admitting that they do not currently have enough pace in the car to win in a fair fight, the Red Bull boss pointed out that the field is tight enough for any of the four teams to capitalize if rivals make the slightest mistake.