Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has explained why Max Verstappen was ordered to surrender two positions during the opening stages of the Spanish Grand Prix at Madrid’s new Madring circuit. Verstappen started from third but became involved in a battle with Lewis Hamilton immediately after the lights went out, with the Ferrari driver briefly moving ahead before Verstappen regained his position. However, the Red Bull driver ran off the track at the first corner, prompting the team to instruct him to hand back the places.
Verstappen was clearly unhappy with the decision and told his team over the radio that Hamilton had nearly caused contact. The Dutchman was also reluctant to give up the advantage, particularly after moving past Kimi Antonelli for second plac
e. Eventually, however, Verstappen followed Red Bull’s instructions and allowed both Antonelli and Hamilton through. His decision soon appeared less costly when Hamilton suffered a brake problem and was forced to retire from the race, while Verstappen quickly climbed back into the leading group.
Mekies admitted that Red Bull knew Verstappen would not be pleased with the call, but insisted the team believed it was the safest option. Rather than waiting for officials to investigate the incident and potentially impose a larger punishment, Red Bull preferred to accept the immediate loss of track position. The team feared a five- or ten-second penalty could have become even more damaging depending on how the race developed, particularly if a Safety Car had appeared at the wrong moment.
According to Mekies, Verstappen’s response after dropping back demonstrated exactly why the team was confident he could recover. Once the positions were returned, the four-time World Champion focused on rebuilding his race and ultimately secured second place behind Antonelli. Mekies described P2 as the strongest result Red Bull could realistically have achieved, especially after the complicated opening and Hamilton’s eventual retirement.
Verstappen’s runner-up finish in Madrid leaves him sixth in the Drivers’ Championship on 145 points as Formula 1 heads to Azerbaijan. Red Bull will also travel to Baku sitting fourth in the Constructors’ standings, with Liam Lawson contributing a sixth-place finish in Madrid. The Spanish Grand Prix therefore ended with Verstappen recovering strongly, but the opening-lap controversy remains a major talking point surrounding Red Bull’s decision to sacrifice positions rather than risk a heavier penalty.
