Laurent Mekies proved he’s already taking inspiration from McLaren with touching Red Bull decision

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Red Bull secured their first win in nearly six months at the Italian Grand Prix, as Max Verstappen delivered new team boss Laurent Mekies a maiden victory trophy.

2025 has been an underwhelming year for the Milton Keynes-based outfit, which harboured hopes of competing for the drivers’ championship. Sadly, the RB21 didn’t live up to expectations, leaving Verstappen on the back foot in his quest for a fifth consecutive crown.

Heading into the 2026 F1 regulations, there are going to be some changes under Mekies’ new management. Red Bull cannot afford not to be fighting for victories, which would mean losing their superstar driver eventually.

Verstappen proved he’s the smartest driver in F1 by insisting on a lower downforce setup at the Italian Grand Prix, which led him to a dominant win, despite being trickier to drive with. In fact, Verstappen defied a Red Bull chief to make the call, and shows how valuable he is to the team.

READ MORE: Ted Kravitz reveals why he’s always on his ‘guard’ when he interviews Max Verstappen

Laurent Mekies proved he’s taking inspiration from McLaren with touching Pierre Wache decision at Red Bull

Andrea Stella says McLaren ‘have to learn’ why they were beaten so badly by their rivals in Monza, despite both of their cars making the podium. It could cause them a few issues down the line as their drivers continue to fight for the world championship.

There’s hope that Verstappen’s latest win wasn’t a ‘one-off’, after a new floor upgrade helped to bring a better balance to the car. They’ll learn pretty quickly at future races whether their new part is the reason for their success.

As part of Mekies’ new regime, things are changing and evolving. Part of that involved sending the team’s Technical Director, Pierre Wache, who has copped some criticism lately, to the podium to celebrate in Italy.

He himself could’ve headed to the rostrum to celebrate his first win, but he played the team game instead, which is in line with an approach adopted by McLaren. It might even signal a change in mindset that brings them closer to their Woking-based rivals.

READ MORE: Max Verstappen called out for ‘idiot’ Monza moment that nearly jeopardised Italian Grand Prix win

How Max Verstappen earned an ‘international applause’ from the F1 media in Monza

Verstappen finally ended his longest win drought in five years in some style, as he beat the McLaren drivers by just over 19 seconds. Coming into the weekend, very few people expected that outcome to be possible.

It was so special that Verstappen earned an ‘international applause’ from the media, which is a rare honour in modern Formula 1. He’ll be hoping that his current form continues for the rest of the season, to help him build some momentum for 2026.

If Red Bull fail to deliver a competitive car next year, then Mercedes will be lurking to snap up the Dutchman. Their interest in him was no secret this summer, and is part of the reason why they still have no drivers under contract for next year.