Laurent Mekies faces scrutiny over Red Bull strategy in Austin

Mekies faces questions after Austin strategy issues

Laurent Mekies faces questioning in Mexico City because Red Bull has not disclosed what its internal review found regarding the Austin strategy. The team has not said publicly who decided to send Max Verstappen out on a second set of soft tyres, and they have not explained how that call reached the car. I think the lack of clarity on the soft-tyre call is a problem, especially as Verstappen noted that those on harder compounds found much more grip. Verstappen finished third in the United States, 17.485 seconds behind Kimi Antonelli, which was his sixth consecutive podium after wins in Malaysia and Singapore. The fight for second place in the drivers’ standings remains tight because George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, and Charles Leclerc are currently separated by a margin of only nine points. Verstappen lost a place from the front row during the Austin start, and while he passed Charles Leclerc later that same lap, he could not regain contact with Antonelli. Isack Hadjar also fell from third to fifth on that opening lap. The scramble on the first lap meant Verstappen never got back into contention for the win. Even with these issues, bookmakers still price Verstappen with better odds than Antonelli despite Verstappen having only two wins this season.

Technical challenges and record attempts

The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez presents cooling challenges because the high altitude makes engine temperature management a difficulty for the RB22. Teams often fit extra slots in the engine cover to increase cooling due to the lower air density. Verstappen told the team he needs to get the engine cooling in the right window to be competitive at this 19th round of the campaign. He noted that the conditions in Mexico are completely different to those in Austin, which makes the weekend hard to predict. Mekies said the car has issues with the engine, gearbox, and clutch that require significant design and hardware changes for next year. I find it blunt that Mekies expects only small gains in the remaining races because he said the car’s improved performance makes the current deficit even more painful. Verstappen aims for a sixth win at this circuit, which would set a new personal record for victories at one track. He currently has five wins here, matching his totals at the Yas Marina Circuit and the Red Bull Ring. Verstappen is chasing a third race victory in four rounds if he wins on Sunday. Antonelli leads Russell by 123 points with five races left and could secure the championship with a ninth-place finish or better on 1 November. Verstappen sits in fourth with 236 points and can no longer win the title. If he qualifies near the front, the 830-metre run to Turn 1 could decide his race.