Belgian accumulation at Grand Prix Weekend naturally focused on Christian Horner’s departure from the Red Bull race and the impact it had on the team and its driver lineup.
From the first moment Max Verstappen spoke to the media it became clear that his comments were more transparent. As explained last week, the vague side steps of the question were replaced with detailed answers, even mentioning his original intention to see his career in Red Bull when he signed his latest contract.
That’s an intention that feels far from a certain long term yet, but when it comes to immediate departures, it appears Verstappen will remain at least in 2026. The statement argued by team advisor Helmut Marco is that performance-related contract release clauses are believed to have expired around Hungary’s Grand Prix, ensuring the driver’s championship will be third in the direction of a summer shutdown.
Adding the understanding that the multi-year expansion talk between Mercedes and George Russell is heading in a positive direction, if that happens, the 2027 move seems likely to be more likely to pair him with Russell as part of a highly appealing lineup, rather than replacing Britton.
The argument between Verstappen and Mercedes was published by Russell and didn’t go particularly well with Horner before his firing. The former team principal highlighted the lack of performance and issues in Austria, where Verstappen’s future was at the heart of growing speculation.
Given the history between Red Bull and Mercedes, there has always been a different dynamic when it comes to the focus of the driver contract. Although 2021 was Nadir, it set a continuous tone of tension between Horner and Mercedes team principal Totowolf. Perhaps best encapsulated by Horner’s rage suggestion by Netflix’s “change your f***ing car” which was captured a year later as “to survive the drive.”
Spa Franco Champ focuses on Verstappen and his future, focusing on the growing likelihood that there will be no movement in the next 12 months, but also provided an interesting opportunity to reset to the Red Bull and Mercedes relationship.
Laurent Mekies, the new team’s principal and CEO, has no history as Horner, but not the same as Wolff. The pair go beyond the latest spell in Racing Bulls when the Mekies were on the headmaster of Ferrari’s FIA and vice-team, but he didn’t have the same position or rivalry that could evolve from his new role.
So there was an interesting incident last weekend in Belgium. This is because Mekies was invited to Mercedes on Saturday evening after the qualifying round.
It was little subtle as Mekies walked straight through the busy paddock and into a Mercedes camper. At the time, the movements of team principals could always be eye-catching.
He also did not appear for another 30 minutes, and he had to close the meeting in time to reach a qualified report after the fact, suggesting some detailed discussion.
He also noticed at least one rival team boss. This is because it was extremely rare for Mekies’ predecessors and the principal of the Mercedes team to spend time together outside of group situations. Aside from the jokes and pictures that were instigated by Abu Dhabi’s Jeri Horner, I can’t remember seeing either Horner or Wolf step into his opponent’s camper.
While their rivals are on track, Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes have a reason to make that a common cause. Alex Vierrez de Hahn/Getty Images
They may not exist to sell the same product in the end, but Mercedes and Red Bull have more in common than you consider a Formula 1 team. Wolf felt that the olive branches had been extended at the beginning of the latter next era.
In 2026, Red Bull will join Mercedes, Ferrari and newcomer Audi as the only team to produce its own chassis and power units. So these four are in a different position from the other 10 teams on the grid (or 11 from next year) in terms of future directions in regulations and costs.
There was uncertainty about the future direction of power units beyond the regulations in 2026, and both Wolff and Mekies felt it was in their best interest to understand what it is for others to move forward as a whole with their intentions and preferences.
It’s the kind of relationship Ferrari’s Fred Vasser already has with Wolf, and there’s a positive relationship between McLaren and both Ferrari and Mercedes on its front. Red Bull was a bit outlier under Horner, with a different level of collaboration on off-track on the wider topic.
Given that F1 teams and drivers sometimes face challenges in dealing with President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, it could prove important to have a better working relationship over the next few years.
But beyond that, it is always important that key sports stakeholders gather on larger painting items. That’s not to say they’re always agreeing or wanting the same thing, but if they have a clear understanding of what each team’s preferences and requirements are, they’re more likely to make progress in what can often be a militant environment.
The teams are always on track and fought hard against each other, and if Red Bull ultimately loses Verstappen to Mercedes after 2027, it certainly won’t be lost. However, the change in Milton Keynes’ leadership offered opportunities for a more friendly off-track dynamics, with the two team bosses wasted no time trying to kickstart it in Belgium.
The relationship is likely to descend on stronger scaffolding until they are fighting each other again for the championship.
