Red Bull Oracle Team Principal Laurent Mekies has successfully persuaded Max Verstappen to stay by making him a key pillar of the team, not only sitting in the driver's seat but also playing a role outside the driver's seat, which makes him involved in many technical matters related to car development."One of the great things about Max is that he doesn't sit outside the project, watching what we do and judging what we do," Mekies was quoted as saying by the Formula 1 website on Thursday.
Mekies said the four-time world champion is aware of the risks and challenges Red Bull faces in dealing with the 2026 season regulations and significant changes within the team.
This season, the Austrian factory team will replace its engine components with those from the American manufacturer Ford after a long collaboration with Japanese engine supplier Honda.
