New Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies stressed that four-time Formula One champion Max Verstappen is "central" to the project of bringing the team back to the top. "Max is central to the project and he's key to the project and we need his magic at the racetrack.

Max Verstappen has been even more heavily linked with a move from Red Bull to F1 rivals Mercedes since long-serving team boss Christian Horner was replaced by Laurent Mekies

Laurent Mekies has lifted the lid on the unexpected phone call that thrust him into the hot seat as Red Bull’s new CEO and Team Principal in Formula 1.