Laurent Mekies confirmed Max Verstappen’s estimate about how far behind Red Bull are compared to Mercedes this season.

With concerns about Max Verstappen possibly leaving Red Bull over frustration with the new regulations, there has been a lot of talk about what Red Bull have done to convince him otherwise.

Laurent Mekies admitted that Red Bull prioritising their 2025 car is costing them now, as they just can’t seem to compete with the other top teams this season.

After a frustrating Japanese Grand Prix, an irate Max Verstappen admitted Red Bull were a second behind Mercedes per lap.

And in a recent interview, Laurent Mekies confirmed this estimate, while still maintaining that Red Bull can close the gap over time.

Laurent Mekies confirms Max Verstappen’s estimation about Red Bull’s gap to Mercedes this season

Laurent Mekies spoke during an appearance on the Beyond The Grid podcast, where he was asked about Red Bull closing the gap with Mercedes.

The Red Bull team principal noted that Mercedes are indeed one second ahead of Red Bull per lap, but confirmed that the team will work all throughout the season to close that gap.

“We think the gaps to Mercedes are very substantial. It’s probably around one second a lap, which is huge in Formula One terms. But we equally think that you will see the car changing a lot throughout the season, not just in Miami, but in the races after.

“And success or failure will be dictated by how quickly you bring your development and how successful those developments are. It’s not a given that all the steps that you are bringing to the track will improve your car’s performance.

“Therefore, it’s going to be the result of that development race that will dictate which position we are shooting for.”

Red Bull must improve car to convince Max Verstappen to stay

While there might be some people who believe Red Bull should give up on their 2026 car because they don’t have the time or resources to close the gap with the top teams, that isn’t a viable option.

Given Max Verstappen’s frustration with the RB22, Red Bull have no choice but to improve on their work to turn his mindset around.

Verstappen is set to meet Stefano Domenicali soon to discuss his frustration with the new regulations. But any resolutions that emerge from that meeting will be applicable in the long term.

Meanwhile, Red Bull’s own failure to adapt to the regulations has also caused frustration for the four-time world champion.

And with Mercedes being a real option for Verstappen, Red Bull know they cannot take his frustration lightly, as they could risk losing their greatest homegrown driver.