Tensions within the Red Bull camp have reached a boiling point after Jos Verstappen, father and advisor to three-time world champion Max Verstappen, reportedly sent a brutal ultimatum to Laurent Mekies, the current team principal of sister team Visa Cash App RB (formerly AlphaTauri) and increasingly involved in strategic decisions surrounding Red Bull Racing.
According to reliable paddock sources, Jos Verstappen made three tough demands in a secret meeting with Mekies, including the threat that Max will leave Red Bull immediately if immediate action is not taken. The content of the demands has not been officially confirmed, but insiders suggest they include:
Full technical transparency between Red Bull Racing and sister team RB – including access to development data and strategic simulations that directly affect Max.
A purge of the management team, particularly the departure of certain figures that the Verstappen family considers “obstacles to trust and loyalty.”
Guaranteed absolute number one status for Max within the Red Bull team until the end of 2026, regardless of the arrival of future talents such as Liam Lawson or a possible collaboration with Honda from 2026 onwards.
The ultimatum has come as a shock to the Red Bull organization. According to sources, Christian Horner was “completely surprised” by the escalation and considers Jos’s intervention “extremely hostile and detrimental to the team’s stability.”
The relationship between the Verstappens and Red Bull has been tense for months. Since the start of the 2025 season, there have been increasing rumors of internal conflict, divided loyalties, and even negotiations between Max Verstappen and rivals Mercedes. Jos Verstappen’s ultimatum now seems to mark the point where everything comes to a head.
An anonymous engineer within Red Bull stated:
This isn’t just a normal negotiation anymore. It feels like a power struggle for the heart of the team. Jos is showing that he’s willing to go far—even to the extreme—to guarantee Max his ideal situation.
Laurent Mekies himself has not yet made an official comment, but is seen internally as a potential key player in Red Bull’s future structure, especially with the transition to the new engine regulations in 2026.
What does all this mean for Max Verstappen? Although he’s currently under contract with Red Bull until 2028, the reality seems to be that his future is becoming more uncertain by the day. The Formula 1 world is holding its breath, because if Jos’s threat comes true, it could mean one of the most shocking exits in F1 history.
