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Mekies Backs Verstappen Over 'Dangerous' British GP Failure

Mekies Backs Verstappen Over 'Dangerous' British GP Failure

Summary
Max Verstappen crashed out of podium contention at the British GP due to a rear wing failure, his second high-speed incident in as many races. Red Bull's Laurent Mekies backed the driver's angry reaction, calling it unacceptable and promising a full review.

Max Verstappen's British Grand Prix ended in a spin at Stowe while fighting for a podium, as a rear wing failure caused a sudden loss of downforce. It marked the second consecutive race where a technical fault put him off at high speed, prompting Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies to back his frustration and promise a full review.

Why it matters:

  • Verstappen's Lap 48 crash cost him a likely podium at a critical point in the championship
  • The repeat failure raises safety concerns, with Verstappen warning that losing downforce in high-speed corners is "super dangerous"
  • Mekies' admission that the team "let down" their driver shows Red Bull views these failures as unacceptable

The details:

  • Verstappen revealed the spin stemmed from his rear wing failing to fully reattach mid-corner, mirroring his Austrian GP qualifying crash despite a different root cause
  • The four-time world champion said he had no warning before the downforce disappeared, leaving him helpless as the car snapped
  • Mekies confirmed the team understands both failures but declined technical specifics, stressing the result was unacceptable regardless of the differing causes
  • He called it "extremely unpleasant" to see a Red Bull driver in the gravel in consecutive races

What's next:

  • Red Bull has vowed a comprehensive review to ensure "zero chance" of another recurrence
  • With the championship entering a critical phase, Verstappen cannot afford more reliability losses
  • The team must prove these fixes are robust immediately, as another failure could dent confidence and cost vital points

Original Article :https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/red-bull-verstappen-right-to-be-unhappy-after-dan...

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