Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has downplayed Max Verstappen's suggestion that he will not win another Grand Prix this F1 season, following a "difficult and uncomfortable" Hungarian Grand Prix weekend. Mekies emphasized that the performance in Hungary was not representative of the car's true potential.
Why it matters:
Max Verstappen, a four-time F1 drivers' champion, is currently 97 points adrift in the title fight and expressed significant frustration with the RB21's performance, leading to a grim outlook for the rest of the season. His comments signal deep concern within the Red Bull camp, but Mekies' response aims to temper these fears and highlight the team's resilience.
The details:
- Verstappen's Struggles: Verstappen endured a challenging weekend at the Hungaroring, qualifying eighth and finishing ninth, securing only two points. He declared himself unable to triumph for the rest of the year due to the RB21's issues.
- Mekies' Perspective: Laurent Mekies acknowledged the weekend was "tough" and "uncomfortable" but insisted it was an "outstanding outlier" and not indicative of the RB21's overall performance.
- Comparison to McLaren: While admitting McLaren is currently faster, Mekies pointed to Verstappen's strong performance at Spa-Francorchamps, particularly in the sprint, as evidence of the car's capability in different conditions.
What's next:
The team principal stressed that despite car development slowing down, Red Bull still has much to learn from challenging weekends like Hungary. He believes that by analyzing and extracting more from the car, they can put up a better fight in the remaining 10 rounds of the season. The focus remains on continuous improvement and adaptation.