Mar.9 (GMM) Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has moved to quash speculation that Max Verstappen could walk away from Formula 1 over his hatred of the new regulations, insisting the four-time world champion remains as focused and precise as ever.
Verstappen did little to help Mekies’ case when asked after the Australian GP whether he had enjoyed it. “It was great fun. It was actually a top race,” he deadpanned in a moment of pure sarcasm.
Earlier, the Dutchman is understood to have delivered a blistering assessment in the FIA drivers’ briefing, telling the governing body it had made a fundamental error with the 50-50 power split and that there was now no easy fix – reducing the electrical percentage would simply produce slower cars.
After the race, he was only marginally more diplomatic in public.
“I love racing, and there’s only so much that’s tolerable,” he said.
“I believe the FIA and Formula 1 are ready to listen to us, and I simply hope that something will be done. I’m not the only one saying this. Many are saying the same thing, whether drivers or fans. We want what’s best for the sport, and we don’t voice our criticism just for the sake of criticising. We’re critical for good reason.
“We want a real Formula 1, not a Formula 1 on steroids. And we didn’t get that today.”
As for any official pushback against his ongoing critique, the 28-year-old added: “I think they should worry about the rules and just concentrate on them.
“Perhaps there are some solutions we can work out over the course of the year to make it a bit more enjoyable for everyone.”
During the Melbourne weekend, Verstappen openly acknowledged that his hobby – GT racing – is currently more fun than his job, and has not ruled out racing at the Nurburgring 24 Hours in April – especially if the Gulf rounds are cancelled.
Mekies, speaking to De Telegraaf, said none of that concerns him. “When Max is with us, and I look at his relationship with the team, I see no difference from last year. In the degree to which he insists on every detail and how precise he is in his feedback.
“He can therefore put his personal preferences aside when discussing things with us and trying to improve performance.”
The Frenchman also suggested Melbourne may have been an extreme case. “This circuit is clearly one of the most challenging tracks of the year in terms of energy management. I’m curious to see how things go in China next week.”
On Red Bull’s competitiveness after a race affected by engine and battery problems, Mekies was upbeat. “We’ve confirmed that we’re in the race,” said the Frenchman.
“We’re very proud of the work everyone in Milton Keynes has done over the past three years. We have the ambition, and also the obligation, to do better than this. But the starting point is good.”
Verstappen agreed the gap to Mercedes needs closing. “I hope we can close it as the season progresses, because at the moment it’s still quite significant.”
Third-placed Leclerc offered some encouragement for Ferrari. “It looked like Mercedes maybe had a bit more pace than us today, but maybe not as much as what we saw yesterday, so that’s a good thing.”
Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur estimated the deficit to Mercedes on Sunday at around half a second – considerably less than the eight tenths seen in qualifying.
Mercedes’ Toto Wolff, for his part, added: “I’m a little surprised at how close it all actually was.”
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