Wolff or Mekies? Max Verstappen reveals his choice for team principal

Max Verstappen would not swap Laurent Mekies for Toto Wolff as his team principal, with the Dutchman adamant that Mekies is “exactly the right” boss for Red Bull.

Red Bull announced earlier this month that Mekies, who replaced the long-serving Christian Horner as Red Bull team boss last season, had extended his contract to 2031.

Laurent Mekies earns Max Verstappen’s backing at Red Bull

Verstappen has been in the middle of a tug-of-war between Red Bull and Mercedes since 2024.

Although signed to Red Bull in a long-term deal, Mercedes team principal Wolff made no secret of wanting Verstappen to replace Lewis Hamilton after the Briton announced he would leave the team at the end of the campaign to join Ferrari.

Mercedes’ interest continued into 2025, with Verstappen confirming talks as he told the BBC that “any kind of chat you take seriously”.

But for him, staying with Red Bull, and even extending with the team to 2030, was the “right choice”.

It means Verstappen could see out his latest Red Bull extension under Mekies’ leadership with the Frenchman re-signing through to 2031.

Verstappen says he’s happy to continue his relationship with Mekies.

“If someone asked me which team boss I would swap him for from the paddock, there wouldn’t be one,” he told Sport Bild.

Red Bull’s trajectory has taken an upward swing under Mekies’ leadership.

While the team is still some way off Mercedes, which is on course to win the championship double, Verstappen says he’s happy to have Mekies in charge rather than Mercedes’ Wolff.

“There’s always a lot of talk, and it’s no secret that we get along well,” he said. “But Laurent is exactly the right team boss for Red Bull.

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“He’s a really good person with a big heart. We talk about everything. About Formula 1, but also about life.”

But while he acknowledged that Mekies, as a father, is “empathetic” and understands Verstappen’s life as a young father, the Dutchman said: “That is not a matter of course in Formula 1.”

Heading into the final five races of the championship, Verstappen has entered the fight to finish runner-up behind Kimi Antonelli in the Drivers’ Championship.

The four-time world champion, who is fourth on the log, trails P2’s George Russell by six points with 125 points still in play.

Red Bull, meanwhile, has leapfrogged McLaren to sit third in the Constructors’ Championship.

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