Laurent Mekies, the team principal of Red Bull Racing, has hinted that the outfit is fielding inquiries from a number of "good drivers" who are curious about potential openings within the squad. Despite these external approaches, Mekies remains confident that the team will continue to close the performance gap necessary to keep Max Verstappen satisfied and committed. As the Formula 1 calendar heads toward its final event before the summer hiatus – the Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest – the long‑term outlook for Verstappen at Red Bull remains a topic of speculation.
While his contract officially extends to the close of the 2028 season, it contains performance‑related clauses that could allow him to exit at the end of the current year. Reports suggest that Verstappen must notify the team of any intention to trigger that break‑clause by October.
Last month, rumors surfaced that the Dutch champion’s management had opened talks with McLaren. However, McLaren boss Zak Brown quickly clarified that his team already has a full driver line‑up in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, effectively ruling out an immediate move for Verstappen. Similarly, the driver rosters at Mercedes and Ferrari are locked in, meaning that, should Verstappen decide to stay in Formula 1 beyond 2027, his short‑term alternatives appear limited.
Given the natural tendency for a driver of Verstappen’s stature to keep his options under review, Sky Sports F1 asked Mekies at the Belgian Grand Prix whether Red Bull itself had been approached by other drivers interested in a seat. Mekies answered plainly: "It works both ways.
It's completely natural. Max gets calls from everyone because he's the best driver in the world, and likewise, a top team like ours receives interest from many good drivers.
That's just how the sport operates." When pressed about whether these inquiries distract the team, Mekies dismissed the notion. "No, it's not a distraction," he said. "Our sole focus is to make the car as quick as possible, retain the world's best driver, and nurture the rapid development of Isack Hadjar alongside Max. That combination is ideal for us, and we aim to keep it intact." Mekies expressed optimism that Red Bull will continue to shrink the remaining performance deficit to the front‑running cars, building on the progress made since the start of the current regulatory era.
A major upgrade to the RB‑22 at the Austrian Grand Prix three races ago marked a turning point; since then Verstappen has stood on the podium in two of the last three events, despite a frustrating spin at Silverstone caused by a rear‑wing failure. Hadjar, who made his debut with the team this season, impressed by climbing from 21st on the grid to finish sixth in Belgium, extending his streak of top‑six results to six consecutive races. Mekies summed up the team's philosophy: "All we need to do is keep developing the car.
We began the season over a second off the pace, which was expected given the late‑season push for the title last year and the challenges of the new power unit." He continued, "We started on the back foot, but the team has delivered again. We were more than a second behind, and now we're talking about shaving off the last two or three tenths. When you're a second off, both the drivers and the team get frustrated – Max included.
That's not the position we want to be in. The goal is to close those final tenths, and that's where everyone's focus lies." Red Bull has undergone a notable turnover of personnel over the past two years, with several key figures from previous championship campaigns departing. Additionally, Verstappen’s long‑time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase is set to join McLaren no later than 2028. When asked how this period of transition aligns with efforts to retain Verstappen, Mekies offered a straightforward answer: "It's simpler than it sounds – it all comes down to speed.
Red Bull Racing has one objective: to win. Max shares that same objective." He emphasized that the team does not need to convince Verstappen of its winning capability; the intention is simply to win together.
"The same group that orchestrated the remarkable turnaround last year is still here. Despite a late push, they managed to erase nearly a second from our rivals' advantage.
They weren't waiting for us in the early races. Now we're in the hard part – chasing those last few tenths, the hardest to extract.
The key is to keep working as a united group, and that unity will produce the best results." As the Hungarian Grand Prix approaches, every session will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming options available via NOW. The race will be a crucial test of Red Bull's progress, and the team will aim to demonstrate that the combination of Verstappen's talent and the car's evolving performance is enough to keep the champion happy and focused on defending his titles.