Mekies after Sao Paulo GP: 'Max delivered another masterclass drive'

Published on 08 November 2026 by Niels Hendrix

Laurent Mekies, CEO and team principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing, said after the São Paulo Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen finishing second and Isack Hadjar third: “What a fantastic result for the whole team here in São Paulo. Max delivered another masterclass drive, fighting his way from P21 to P2 in a way only him can do. That’s now three consecutive podiums here in Brazil from P17 or lower. You could almost say we’re getting used to it, but it never stops being outstanding to watch the way he races here, particularly in such challenging conditions.”

Mekies continued: “It’s also been a fantastic weekend for Isack. He continued to build his confidence and performance throughout the weekend and delivered a fantastic race today, securing his third podium of the season in an example of clever racing. To have both drivers on the podium is a tremendous reward and true team effort from the whole group. The conditions were incredibly difficult to judge, and the drivers and team executed to perfection, from strategy to pit-stops.”

“It wasn’t all straightforward, though. We were very competitive on the intermediates, but from when we switched Max to the dry tyres, we experienced a significant change in balance that made things more difficult. We will need to understand that and keep pushing, because Lando ultimately had a little more pace than us today. Overall, this double podium is a fantastic achievement and a reflection of the hard work, commitment and determination that define this team.”