Jos Verstappen says Max is “having fun” again at Red Bull — and that simple shift might be the most important development of the season.
The three-time champion has dragged himself back into the 2025 title fight with a run of six consecutive podiums, including wins in Italy, Azerbaijan and the United States. It’s coincided with a reset at Milton Keynes: Christian Horner departed after the British Grand Prix and Laurent Mekies stepped up from Racing Bulls to take the reins. The mood, says Jos, is unrecognisable.
“The atmosphere in the team is completely different,” he told De Telegraaf. “I have a good relationship with team boss Laurent Mekies and it gives me a lot of peace of mind to see how much fun Max is having again. He’s in good hands.”
Relations between Jos and the previous regime were publicly strained at times. Under Mekies, Red Bull look less combative off-track and more coherent on it. The car hasn’t suddenly turned into a rocket ship in every condition, but the scatter of lost opportunities that marked the mid-summer slump has tightened into a clean, efficient points haul — exactly what you need when the deficit is real.
And it is real. With four rounds to go, Lando Norris leads the Drivers’ Championship by 36 points. The maths says Norris is still in control; the form guide says Verstappen is coming. Jos knows it’s a long shot, but likes the approach.
“Max is very open and relaxed about it,” he said. “I think that’s the best approach. He had a difficult time in Mexico, but still managed to finish third and almost second. That gives us hope. But, given the points difference, it’s true that it’s not in his own hands.”
Mexico told both sides of the story. McLaren had the upper hand and a late Virtual Safety Car blunted Verstappen’s pursuit of Charles Leclerc for P2. Max was pragmatic afterward.
“I lost 10 to Lando, if you look at it like that,” he said in the press conference. “I said before the weekend, everything needs to go perfect to win. And this weekend didn’t go perfect. So that’s your answer. I think it’s going to be tough, but let’s see what we can do in other tracks… it still shows that we’re not quick in every scenario. And that’s what we need to understand a bit better.”
That’s been the story of Red Bull’s autumn revival: no magic bullet, just consistency, clean execution, and enough car under him for Verstappen to do Verstappen things. The wins in Monza, Baku and Austin came from a familiar place — ruthless pace when it mattered, no wasted laps, no wasted calls. The podiums around them were the product of patience and a driver leaning on racecraft rather than brute force.
Mekies, for his part, has shifted the temperature. The pit wall looks settled, the messaging is calmer, and the garage doesn’t feel like it’s waiting for the next off-track headline to land. Jos Verstappen isn’t the most easily impressed critic in the paddock, which makes his endorsement notable.
“The fact that he still has a chance at the world title is already a huge bonus,” he added, nodding to just how far that felt from reality around the summer break.
What happens next is simple enough. Norris has the cushion and the car to defend it. Verstappen can’t afford a single off day. Four races, 36 points, and no guarantee Red Bull’s strengths will map perfectly to every remaining circuit. It’s not in Max’s hands — but it might be in his head. Right now, that looks like Red Bull’s biggest win of all.
