Mekies ahead of Miami GP: 'Car more comfortable to push with'

Published on 29 April 2026 by Niels Hendrix

Due to the situation in the Middle East, the Grands Prix of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were cancelled, leaving a five-week gap after the Japanese race. Laurent Mekies, team principal and CEO of Oracle Red Bull Racing said ahead of the Miami GP: “Everyone at Oracle Red Bull Racing is excited to be going racing again after the enforced break. There is no denying that these past few weeks have proved useful for teams, the FIA and Formula 1:  for the teams to further develop these very new cars and for all three parties to work together to fine tune the regulations based on learnings from the first three Grands Prix. Effectively, Miami will be a reboot for the season, after this unexpected and exceptionally long hiatus.”

Mekies added: “As for ourselves, everyone has been working flat out in Milton Keynes on the chassis side and power unit side, with Max and Isack also involved. We do not expect to have solved all our issues in one go, however we certainly aim to give Max and Isack a car they will feel more comfortable to push with. Ultimately only the Miami track will reveal the answer to how good a job we have done and how much we still need to find. The Miami GP is also the first of three races to be held in the USA this season and is therefore a significant moment for us, as Red Bull Ford Powertrains makes its North American debut.”

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