Max Verstappen shares what must get ‘better’ in relationship with new Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies

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Max Verstappen has continued to carry Red Bull on his back in 2025, yet their woes saw Christian Horner get sacked and replaced as team principal by Laurent Mekies.

The team from Milton Keynes had only known life with Horner in charge since Red Bull took over the ailing Jaguar outfit from Ford back in 2005. But their declining results, plus his fight for even more power, saw Red Bull sack Horner without telling him why he was being let go.

Red Bull sidelined Horner from his operational duties as their F1 CEO and team principal, as well as overseeing Red Bull Powertrains and Red Bull Technology, at the start of July. Mekies also moved up from sister team Racing Bulls to be Red Bull’s new F1 CEO and team principal.

While Mekies does not enjoy the same duties at Red Bull as Horner held, the team hope the French engineer can oversee a revival. Verstappen may have 187 points to sit third in the F1 drivers’ championship, but Red Bull are 365 points from McLaren atop the teams’ standings.

Max Verstappen feels his communication with Laurent Mekies must ‘get better and better’

Verstappen is, once again, the only driver who can tap into the maximum potential of Red Bull’s car. Yuki Tsunoda has only taken seven points since he replaced Liam Lawson after two point-less rounds. Mekies will now hope to help Red Bull’s second driver deliver results.

READ MORE: All you need to know about Red Bull team principal and CEO Laurent Mekies

The early signs that Verstappen has spotted from Mekies at Red Bull have pleased the four-time reigning driver’s champion, too. But the 27-year-old believes there is scope to improve his and Mekies’ communication, which he imagines will get “better and better” over time.

“He’s very open-minded,” Verstappen said, via RACER. “Of course, it will only get better and better, the communication that we have, but it’s been going really well.”

Max Verstappen and Laurent Mekies impress each other behind the scenes at Red Bull

Mekies brings a very different skillset to Horner to the role of Red Bull’s team principal, with the former boasting a greater technical mind at the expense of the latter’s superior political power. Also, Mekies is overseeing a vast restructuring at Red Bull, as the team now rebuilds.

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Being open-minded, as Verstappen notes, will help Mekies to make the changes he believes are required to bring Red Bull back into title-winning contention. Verstappen trails McLaren rivals Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris by 97 and 88 points atop the F1 drivers’ championship.

Verstappen’s “completely off-the-charts” commitment has stunned Mekies since he moved from Racing Bulls to replace Horner, as well. Yet Verstappen and Mekies could need time for their relationship to mature and to enjoy the level of communication the Dutchman desires.