Max Verstappen Hands Red Bull’s New Boss a Winning Start

TDT | Manama

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Max Verstappen gave a warm welcome to Red Bull Racing’s new team principal, Laurent Mekies, by delivering a flawless victory in the sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday.

Starting from second on the grid, the Dutch driver wasted no time and took the lead on the first lap. From there, he held off fierce competition from Oscar Piastri, the current championship leader, who had to fend off his own teammate Lando Norris. Norris eventually crossed the line in third.

The 27-year-old Verstappen drove with a low-downforce setup, giving him an edge in straight-line speed—something that proved crucial on the fast Spa circuit. Mekies, who officially took over as team principal on July 9 following the sudden departure of longtime boss Christian Horner, was quick to praise the effort.

“That worked out really well,” Verstappen said over the team radio after the race, thanking Mekies for the support. “We saw an opening at Turn 5 and went for it. After that, it was a real fight to keep them behind—it was all about battery strategy and staying mistake-free. I had one lock-up, but I managed to hold them off. It was tough, but we pulled through.”

Mekies, formerly in charge of Red Bull’s junior team Racing Bulls, was visibly pleased.

“Max was outstanding under pressure. He made almost no mistakes and the entire team got everything they could out of the car and the tyres,” Mekies said. “It was a fantastic way to start this new chapter.”

Verstappen’s sprint win adds to his strong momentum this season, and with the main race still to come, the weekend is shaping up to be a memorable one for both the driver and Red Bull’s new leadership.