Mekies after Barcelona shakedown: 'Valuable feedback'

Published on 30 January 2026 by Niels Hendrix

Laurent Mekies, team principal and CEO of Oracle Red Bull Racing, said after the three days of the Barcelona shakedown ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season: “It was an incredible job by the team trackside and back on campus to get RB22 back on track for Friday. There have been some long nights to ensure we got a third day of running.”

Mekies added: “Max was in the car all day and he too got over 100 laps on the clock, giving insightful and beyond valuable feedback, as we continue to learn about this new car and PU. We have a lot to take away from this week and Max’s experience and detail with engineering will help us shape the preparations for Bahrain and beyond.”

“In terms of what we were expecting from the power unit in these first three days, I can only stress how proud we are of everyone back at base who delivered us this PU. Ford were here trackside to see everything come to life and it’s a big thanks to them for their part and support in this special story. Of course, it is very early days and nothing is perfect, but we have started to learn already and work as one team on this. It was a great satisfaction, but it doesn’t change the magnitude of the journey ahead of us. We know we have to do our homework and take things step by step.”