Laurent Mekies has now stopped listening to Max Verstappen just like Christian Horner

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Laurent Mekies is missing Max Verstappen’s point over the 2026 Formula 1 regulations, and the four-time world champion is bound to be frustrated.

Mekies has faced one of the hardest jobs in Formula 1 since joining Red Bull last July. He took over from one of the longest-serving, most successful team bosses ever in Christian Horner.

An immediate upturn in results, which revitalised Max Verstappen’s title bid, earned Mekies wide-ranging plaudits. But 2026 was always going to be more challenging as the team introduced their own engine.

Red Bull have begun the year as an upper-midfield squad rather than a frontrunner. Mekies was prepared for these struggles, but Verstappen’s very real retirement threat is an unforeseen and potentially tenure-defining obstacle.

Laurent Mekies isn’t taking Max Verstappen’s complaints seriously enough

Mekies sounds relaxed about Verstappen’s future and will no doubt call for calm when he addresses Gianpiero Lambiase’s upcoming move to McLaren at the Miami Grand Prix.

While Mekies acknowledges that rule ‘tweaks’ must be made to prioritise driver skill over battery management, he believes that Verstappen’s unhappiness is fundamentally linked to Red Bull’s underperforming car.

“If we get a fast car, there is no discussion about what Max is doing next year, and hence we are focused on that,” he said recently on the Beyond the Grid podcast.

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But Verstappen has consistently said that he would be making the same complaints if he were winning races. His problem lies with the formula itself, not with the RB22.

As such, he’s bound to be frustrated by Mekies’ somewhat dismissive implication.

Laurent Mekies risks repeating Christian Horner’s Max Verstappen mistake

Verstappen wasn’t responsible for Christian Horner’s sacking, but there were indications that he was becoming frustrated with the old regime.

Verstappen felt he wasn’t being listened to over the team’s balance issues during the previous regulations, and he was also ignored when he expressed opposition to Red Bull’s driver changes on the other side of the garage.

The change last year was refreshing in that respect. Verstappen quickly became ‘very comfortable’ with Mekies, who ran the team like an engineer rather than a businessman.

Mekies sided with Verstappen on mechanical decisions, and he felt as if his voice was being heard again.

It’s worth noting that Verstappen’s camp haven’t leaked any complaints about the team principal since their on-track fortunes changed. But Mekies must be careful that he doesn’t repeat Horner’s mistakes.

If he continues to downplay Verstappen’s grievances, then he risks alienating his superstar driver at a time when delicate management is vital.