Red Bull team principal, Laurent Mekies, has dismissed suggestions that Max Verstappen, the four-time champion, may leave Formula One (F1), could leave the sport. He stated that Verastappen would be happier once he had a more competitive car. Despite Verstatten's recent eighth-place finish at the Japanese Grand Prix, he has a Red Bull contract until the end of 2028. Mekies dismissed these rumours, stating that Verstassen's dissatisfaction with the new regulations was not a reaction to Red Bull's early struggles but a lack of enthusiasm for the style of racing under F1's new regulations. He also mentioned that Red Bull had slipped to fourth place overall behind Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren, and that the gap had widened since the opening round in Australia.