Max Verstappen hails Red Bull backing in pursuit of 'other projects'

Max Verstappen has hailed the support he has received from Red Bull, which has allowed him to embark on other projects outside of F1.

Verstappen has been associated with the energy drink-backed company for over a decade and has established himself as one of the sport's most successful drivers in that period.

In recent years, Verstappen has dipped his toes into activities outside of F1, most prominently with various outings at the Nordschleife - including the 24 Hours of Nurburgring earlier this year.

His outings come despite the modern demands of being an F1 driver, but for the Dutchman, there is no risk of a burnout - rather, the four-time champion highlighted that such activities help him stay attentive to F1.

When asked how he keeps focused on his primary job, Verstappen exclusively told RacingNews365: “Not being too stressed out about anything, really.

“I work with a lot of good people here. I have a stable surrounding at home. 

“It's also important to be able to switch off from F1 to being a family man and doing other projects that I enjoy outside of F1.

“Of course Red Bull has always been very supportive of that.”

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Verstappen praises relationship with team boss Mekies

Red Bull has gone through various personnel changes over the last handful of years, with many high-profile names departing the squad.

One such figure who has risen to seniority at the team is Laurent Mekies, who joined as team principal from the sister Racing Bulls outfit following the exit of Christian Horner in July, 2025.

Having operated alongside Horner for so long, Verstappen insisted there were no initial headaches when it came to striking up a new working relationship with Mekies.

“Yeah, very good, the relationship with Laurent has been very good from the start,” Verstappen said.

“I knew him from before, so there were no startup problems or issues. We get on very well, we have a lot of talks and meetings, and it's nice. 

“I really enjoy it. I appreciate how much he is fighting, pushing and really trying to improve the overall structure of the team. So it's really good. I have a really nice time with him.”