1 hr. ago
When hundreds of millions of euros and multiple world championships are on the line, how do you actually close the most highly anticipated contract in Formula 1 history? According to a wild new report from the Dutch publication De Telegraaf, you fire up Microsoft Office.
While the astronomical financial figures of Max Verstappen's new Red Bull extension have dominated the paddock rumor mill, the behind-the-scenes mechanics of how the Milton Keynes squad convinced him to sign the August paperwork are just as fascinating. It required an executive-level corporate pitch, starring Red Bull Racing Team Principal Laurent Mekies.
According to the Dutch outlet, the roadmap to securing Verstappen's signature began with a detailed PowerPoint presentation delivered by Mekies.
As the man steering the Red Bull ship, Mekies knew that a blank check wouldn't be enough to secure a hyper-competitive, four-time World Champion. Verstappen doesn't just want to be the highest-paid driver on the grid; he wants a guarantee that he will be fighting for ****** les at the end of the decade. With rival teams aggressively circling to poach him for the future, Mekies took a deeply ****** ytical approach, bringing a slide deck to the negotiating table.
Because the sweeping 2026 engine regulations are already in full effect and the Red Bull Ford Powertrains project is successfully navigating its inaugural season, Mekies wasn't pitching an unknown vision for 2026. He was pitching sustained dominance for the next era.
#mekies #dutch #World #telegraaf
While the astronomical financial figures of Max Verstappen's new Red Bull extension have dominated the paddock rumor mill, the behind-the-scenes mechanics of how the Milton Keynes squad convinced him to sign the August paperwork are just as fascinating. It required an executive-level corporate pitch, starring Red Bull Racing Team Principal Laurent Mekies.
According to the Dutch outlet, the roadmap to securing Verstappen's signature began with a detailed PowerPoint presentation delivered by Mekies.
As the man steering the Red Bull ship, Mekies knew that a blank check wouldn't be enough to secure a hyper-competitive, four-time World Champion. Verstappen doesn't just want to be the highest-paid driver on the grid; he wants a guarantee that he will be fighting for ****** les at the end of the decade. With rival teams aggressively circling to poach him for the future, Mekies took a deeply ****** ytical approach, bringing a slide deck to the negotiating table.
Because the sweeping 2026 engine regulations are already in full effect and the Red Bull Ford Powertrains project is successfully navigating its inaugural season, Mekies wasn't pitching an unknown vision for 2026. He was pitching sustained dominance for the next era.
#mekies #dutch #World #telegraaf
2 months ago
Laurent Mekies has not ruled out the possibility of the Red Bull Racing team reviewing its rear wing concept after Max Verstappen suffered another crash during the British Grand Prix weekend.
The four-time champion appeared to have masterfully salvaged what had looked like a weekend slipping away from him and was on course for a podium finish, only for it to unravel during the closing stages of the race. Verstappen appeared to lose control of the RB22 at the high-speed Stowe corner on lap 48.
The crash effectively ended his race as he was unable to get the beached car out of the gravel. Following the race, Verstappen pulled no punches in expressing his feelings about the car and its rear wing,describing it as "dangerous" and noting that the crash could have been far worse at a circuit with less run-off area.
Asked about the inverted rear wing and Verstappen's frustration, Mekies did not dismiss the possibility of the Milton Keynes-based team reverting to a more conventional rear wing approach. While he stopped short of attributing the crash solely to the rear wing concept, the Red Bull team principal stressed that the team would leave no stone unturned in exploring its options.
Max Verstappen's RB22 in the aftemath of his crash at the British Grand Prix - Photo: Race Pictures
The four-time champion appeared to have masterfully salvaged what had looked like a weekend slipping away from him and was on course for a podium finish, only for it to unravel during the closing stages of the race. Verstappen appeared to lose control of the RB22 at the high-speed Stowe corner on lap 48.
The crash effectively ended his race as he was unable to get the beached car out of the gravel. Following the race, Verstappen pulled no punches in expressing his feelings about the car and its rear wing,describing it as "dangerous" and noting that the crash could have been far worse at a circuit with less run-off area.
Asked about the inverted rear wing and Verstappen's frustration, Mekies did not dismiss the possibility of the Milton Keynes-based team reverting to a more conventional rear wing approach. While he stopped short of attributing the crash solely to the rear wing concept, the Red Bull team principal stressed that the team would leave no stone unturned in exploring its options.
Max Verstappen's RB22 in the aftemath of his crash at the British Grand Prix - Photo: Race Pictures
