Max Verstappen and Red Bull aim to reset their season and steady the ship as they enter a new era at this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix – their first without longtime team principal Christian Horner at the helm.
As Formula One returns from a short break, McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris ramp up their battle to unseat the reigning world champion.
Norris, chasing a third straight win, looks to cut into Piastri’s eight-point lead.
But the spotlight will fall squarely on Red Bull, now led by Frenchman Laurent Mekies, as the team races for the first time without Horner – the 51-year-old Briton who was abruptly dismissed two weeks ago after two decades in charge. Under his leadership, Red Bull claimed multiple constructors’ titles and guided Verstappen to four consecutive championships from 2021 to 2024.
His successor, Mekies – promoted from junior team Racing Bulls – faces a daunting challenge not only in maintaining the team’s focus and performance at the high-speed Spa-Francorchamps circuit in the Ardennes, but also in restoring stability to Red Bull after a turbulent period.
Verstappen, born in Belgium, has been linked with a move to Mercedes for 2026. While Horner has remained silent since his departure, the reigning champion has welcomed the arrival of Mekies, who comes from an engineering background and is known for his low-key, collaborative leadership style.
Mekies’ appointment ends 18 months of rumors and internal friction, during which Horner was investigated for alleged inappropriate conduct, the team lost the constructors’ title to McLaren, and several key staff members departed.
“I was back at the factory last week to spend some time in the sim with the team,” Verstappen said in a team release that made no mention of Horner’s exit. “I’m looking forward to working closely with Laurent.
“Spa is a classic and always my favorite track on the calendar – a very old-school circuit where you have to do everything right to get a good lap.
“I enjoy the high-speed corners such as Eau Rouge, the layout which is different to other circuits, and the elevation changes that make the track more of a challenge to drive.”
After a frustrating outing at Silverstone, where he started on pole but finished fifth, Verstappen returns to one of his 'home' races hoping Mekies can rekindle Red Bull’s spark and deliver him a fourth career victory at Spa.
Mekies said he would spend his first weeks in charge “meeting the guys and girls who do the magic behind the scenes ... to try to understand this beautiful magic machine.”
His first test will be Saturday’s sprint race.
A win for Verstappen would not come as a surprise, as the Ardennes circuit’s characteristics suit his car. Still, he remains third in the standings behind the McLaren pair, whose intense intra-team rivalry could prove costly.
After his outburst at receiving a 10-second penalty at Silverstone, Piastri is expected to be in a feisty mood heading into the Belgian and Hungarian doubleheader that precedes the August summer break.
Mercedes’ George Russell will also relish the chance to shine in Spa’s often unpredictable conditions. Last year, he was stripped of victory when his car was found to be underweight, handing Lewis Hamilton his 105th – and most recent – career win.
Hamilton is still seeking his first podium with Ferrari, which arrives in Belgium with intent and a major upgrade package.
The seven-time world champion finished fourth at his home race in Britain, where Nico Hulkenberg claimed his first career podium at the 239th attempt, underlining Sauber’s momentum ahead of its transformation into the Audi works team next season.
