Before Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies took up his role in Milton Keynes, he spent many years working at Ferrari. He vividly recalls what it was like to have Max Verstappen as a competitor – a ‘frustrating’ period, Mekies admits with a laugh. Now, the Frenchman works closely with the four-time world champion and holds great respect for his expertise. According to Mekies, Verstappen is ‘the best sensor in the car’.
Laurent Mekies was recently a guest on the Red Bull podcast ‘Talking Bull’, where he was asked about his first impressions of Max Verstappen and their current collaboration. “Everyone watched as Max did what he did in the car,” he said. “I had enough trouble with him as a competitor for many years. We all thought: ‘Oh, he’s so fast.’ It was really quite frustrating,” he laughed. “But the simple truth is that you’re lucky if you get to work with him. This guy is even more special outside the car than inside.”
Ongoing Dedication
“It may sound a bit strange to say, but it’s true,” he continued in a serious tone. “You discover his incredible sense of technology.” Within Red Bull, Verstappen is jokingly referred to as ‘the best sensor in the car’ according to Mekies. “Don’t tell him that,” he joked. The team boss went on to discuss the dedication of the four-time world champion, who he believes is completely immersed in motorsport.
“He shows an incredible level of dedication,” Mekies emphasized. “The energy he puts into it, and how he immerses himself in the world of motorsport – even outside of Formula 1 – is unique. Sometimes he races elsewhere,” Mekies referred to Verstappen’s Nürburgring adventures. “And if he’s not in a real car on his free weekends, then he’s behind his simulator. Daytime, nighttime, or sometimes both. When I call him on Monday after a race and ask: ‘How are you? Are you resting a bit?’ he invariably says: ‘Well, no… I’m racing.'”
