Verstappen without smiles
In these first three races of 2026, it is quite difficult to observe a smile from Max Verstappen: it is now public knowledge that the Dutchman is not having fun with the new regulations, so much so that he is considering the sensational hypothesis of retirement.
Max’s words are neither a joke nor a phrase said in the heat of the moment out of frustration, but the result of an articulated thought that has been maturing for a few weeks. But from the Red Bull camp, there seems to be a certain willingness to downplay the reflections of their driver.
Possible Max retirement, Mekies downplays
Laurent Mekies, Red Bull team principal, questioned on the sidelines of the Japanese Grand Prix, commented on his driver’s words as follows: “We are focusing on our competitiveness. We are not talking about other issues. We still have a lot of work to do and I am sure Max will be a happier Max when we give him a fast car. As soon as we give him a car with which he can test himself and make a difference, Max will also be happier. At the moment only 1% of our conversations concern his motivation”, the French manager underlined.
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Mekies, in the statements reported by RacingNews365, then added: “As for the rules, there are positive and negative aspects. As a sport, together with the other teams we will meet during the break to understand what changes we can make to improve the situation“, he concluded diplomatically.
