Verstappen's 'attitude has shifted' since Horner's dismissal.

      "How we can progress in the future and improve"

      Max Verstappen returns from the August break looking refreshed, although he has stepped back from being a key player in the 2025 world championship battle. "What did I miss? Not the media – that was nice," the four-time champion commented at Zandvoort with a smile. "I didn’t even race. I just took a vacation and had some meetings." When questioned about whether being out of the title race has impacted his motivation, the Dutch driver asserted that it remains strong. "It would have been tougher if I knew I was contending for the championship and then didn’t win anything," noted the Red Bull racer. "I think we just need to evaluate the car and our operations to determine how we can move forward in the future and improve. That’s what we are currently focused on."

      Within Red Bull, the mood has shifted since Christian Horner's departure earlier this year. Verstappen has consistently denied any involvement, yet Ralf Schumacher remarked to Sky Deutschland: "His tone has noticeably changed since Mekies joined. That’s a positive sign, but the pressure to perform still exists. The last race was challenging, to say the least. If more races like that occur, and if the race in the Netherlands is also underwhelming, the pressure on the team will intensify."

      Dr. Helmut Marko confirmed that new team principal Laurent Mekies is still establishing his role. He told Kleine Zeitung: "He’s been getting familiar with the team, understanding the structures and personnel. In the medium term, we’re working towards decentralization. Each department will have its own leader, who will largely report to Laurent." Previously, the concentration of power under Horner was rumored to be a significant factor in his eventual exit. "Rob Gray is leading the RB17 project," Marko clarified, "and Ben Hodgkinson is overseeing the engine department. They have been given more responsibility. This allows Mekies to focus more on the racing team. There has already been progress in that area because he’s simply an outstanding engineer."

      Nevertheless, discussions about Verstappen’s long-term future are expected to resurface, especially with the upcoming 2026 regulations. "Verstappen’s future will be revisited in the first part of next season," Schumacher speculated. "There are many new elements to consider. Making a decision too early can be risky. It was wise of him to stay." This summer, Verstappen was spotted twice on luxury yachts with Mercedes’ Toto Wolff, who is believed to be preparing for the strongest 2026 engine. The Mercedes chief recently predicted that next year's cars could reach speeds of 400kph under the new rules. Verstappen laughed in response: "Well, maybe Toto’s engine can achieve that..."