Max Verstappen Eyes Spa Glory Again as He Begins New Era With Laurent Mekies

Red Bull is beginning its new era under Christian Horner’s replacement, Laurent Mekies, at the Belgian GP, following the Brit’s sacking. Horner spent 20 years at the helm, winning four world championships apiece with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. However, as Horner leaves, the team is far from ready to challenge for a championship.

Max Verstappen is currently third in the standings, 69 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri. The four-time world champion will need something special to retain his title from this position. However, the Dutchman is “looking forward” to working with his new boss as they look to get the 2025 season back on track.

Max Verstappen is excited for the Belgium GP, the first race under Laurent Mekies

Max Verstappen has won two races this season in Japan and Imola. The Dutchman needs to find the winning spark again to reignite his championship campaign against the McLaren drivers. Verstappen has been spending time in the factory to find some solutions to extract all the pace the RB21 has to offer. And Max admitted he was raring to get to work under his new boss, Laurent Mekies.

Verstappen said: “I was back at the factory last week to spend some time in the sim with the team. I’m looking forward to working closely with Laurent.”

Verstappen and Red Bull need a win following a few disappointing races recently. Heading to Spa-Francochamps after a break could be the restart Verstappen needs. The Dutchman concluded: “Spa is a classic and always my favourite track on the calendar.

🗣️ “It’s bold. It’s brave. It’s beautiful!”

Looking back at how Max Verstappen pulled off this daring move around the outside of Felipe Nasr at Blanchimont in 2015… 👏💨#F1 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/YRnkRPylqZ

— Formula 1 (@F1) July 21, 2025

“[It’s] 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 elevation changes that make the track more of a challenge to drive.”

Spa-Francochamps is a race track Verstappen loves and enjoys racing at. The Dutchman has won in Belgium on three occasions. He needs to channel those victories to win and close the gap to McLarens. Being further adrift after this race will put his championship challenge even further in doubt.

Can Max Verstappen win the Belgium GP?

Weather conditions are likely to play a role at this season’s Belgium GP. Rain is predicted over the weekend, which could help Verstappen and Red Bull. The Dutchman won the rain-affected sprint race in 2023. Rain is the ultimate leveller, meaning Verstappen might have a chance against the McLarens.

Belgian GP Set for Wild Sprint Weekend With Heavy Rain Forecast at Treacherous Spa

Red Bull is also reported to bring a new upgrade package to Belgium. This is risky as Belgium is a sprint weekend, meaning they can only be tested in one practice session. However, if the new package improves the RB21, it could give Verstappen an advantage.

The issue is that McLaren has also teased upgrades coming to Belgium. Andrea Stella said the team tested a new floor at Silverstone during FP1. He failed to mention when the package would be coming in, but said the results were positive.

Although Max Verstappen has a great record around Spa, last season, the Dutchman struggled for pace. He finished fifth on the road, but was promoted to fourth following George Russell’s disqualification. The RB21 is an improvement on last year’s RB20, but it is still far off the pace of the leading cars. Even in wet conditions, the MCL39 is still the car to beat. Verstappen will do well to win at his second home race.