Laurent Mekies, the team principal of Red Bull Racing, has revealed that the outfit is fielding inquiries from a number of "good drivers" who are curious about potential openings in the near future. Despite the external interest, Mekies remains confident that the team will continue to sharpen its performance sufficiently to keep reigning champion Max Verstappen firmly in place. As the Formula 1 calendar heads toward its last pre‑summer‑break event in Hungary, the question of Verstappen’s long‑term future with Red Bull remains a hot topic.
While his contract officially runs through the end of the 2028 season, it contains performance‑related clauses that could allow him to walk away at the conclusion of the current year. Sources indicate that the Dutch driver has until October to trigger any break clause should he wish to explore other options. Last month, rumors surfaced that Verstappen’s management had opened talks with McLaren.
However, McLaren boss Zak Brown quickly clarified that his team’s driver line‑up is set with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, leaving little room for a high‑profile addition. Similar contractual constraints exist at Mercedes and Ferrari, where the incumbent drivers are locked in for the foreseeable future, meaning that even if Verstappen decided to stay in Formula 1 beyond 2027, his immediate alternatives appear limited. During the Belgian Grand Prix, Sky Sports F1 asked Mekies whether Red Bull itself was also receiving approaches from other drivers on the grid. He answered that the situation works both ways.
"It’s completely natural for Max to get calls from everyone because he’s arguably the best driver in the world," Mekies said. "And equally, a top‑tier team like Red Bull will naturally attract interest from many talented drivers looking for a seat." When pressed about whether these conversations constitute a distraction, Mekies dismissed the notion. His focus, he explained, is squarely on extracting the maximum performance from the RB22.
"Our priority is to make the car as fast as possible," he said. "If we can do that, we will keep the world’s best driver, and we also see a huge development in Isack Hadjar alongside Max. That pairing is ideal for us, and we’ll do everything we can to preserve it." Mekies expressed confidence that Red Bull will close the remaining performance gap to the very front of the field.
Since a substantial upgrade package was introduced at the Austrian Grand Prix three races ago, 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. Meanwhile, Hadjar impressed by climbing from 21st on the grid to finish sixth in Belgium, extending his streak of top‑six results to six consecutive races. "All we need to do is keep progressing with the car," Mekies emphasized. "We started the season a little over a second off the ideal pace, which was unsurprising given the late‑season title push last year and the challenges posed by the new power‑unit regulations.
We were on the back foot, but the team has managed to shave that deficit down to a few tenths now." He added that when a driver is a full second slower than the leaders, frustration builds for both the driver and the team. "Max feels that frustration, and we all know it’s not the position we want to settle for," Mekies said.
"Our goal now is to capture those final two or three tenths, and that’s where everyone’s attention is focused." Red Bull has undergone a period of transition over the past two years, with several key personnel from its previous championship eras departing. Additionally, Verstappen’s long‑time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase is set to join McLaren by 2028. When asked how this turnover aligns with the ambition to retain Verstappen, Mekies responded that the answer is straightforward: speed. "Red Bull Racing has a single objective – to win – and that aligns perfectly with Max’s own goal," he stated.
"It’s not about proving we can win; we are already winning. The same core group that orchestrated the remarkable comeback last season is still here. They have already reclaimed nearly a second from our rivals and are now battling for the final few tenths, which are the hardest to extract." He concluded by stressing the importance of unity within the team.
"We must continue to work together as a cohesive unit. That’s the only way we’ll deliver the best possible results and keep Max Verstappen happy and motivated to stay with us." The Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest is set to kick off this weekend, with all sessions broadcast live on Sky Sports F1.
Fans can also stream the coverage via NOW, with the flexibility to cancel at any time. As the summer break approaches, all eyes will remain on Red Bull’s ability to maintain its competitive edge and to secure Verstappen’s services for the seasons ahead.