Max Verstappen said Red Bull could always count on him, as the four-times Formula 1 champion gave new team boss Laurent Mekies a winning start in a Saturday sprint at the Belgian Grand Prix.

There was never a case of 'who will Red Bull back as their champion' like we see with McLaren today. The Dutchman obliterated any type of rivalry with team-mate Sergio Perez, who didn't even accumulate half of Verstappen's 2023 total points tally, with Verstappen instead delivering a clear statement that he was the No 1 driver.

Advisor Helmut Marko issued the strongest confirmation yet, leaving Red Bull’s top brass with a clear task going into next season.