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Verstappen’s Sepang pole is Red Bull’s first as a complete manufacturer, says Mekies

Conceptual AI-generated editorial motorsport illustration; not a documentary photograph or evidence that a pictured event, meeting or transfer occurred. · 2026-10-27GPBeat newsroom · News Made Clear generated illustration

Laurent Mekies says Verstappen’s pole was Red Bull’s first as a complete manufacturer with Red Bull Ford Powertrains, achieved with the power-unit maker’s first new design in its 16th grand prix.

GPBeat · Newsroom27 Oct 2026, 12:42 · 1 min

Max Verstappen’s pole at Sepang was Red Bull’s first as a complete manufacturer with Red Bull Ford Powertrains, team principal Laurent Mekies said.

Verstappen set 1:35.130, beating the field by nearly three tenths to take his first pole of the season. Team-mate Isack Hadjar qualified third.

Mekies said Red Bull had brought power-unit design and construction in-house and produced a competitive package in five years. He called it a remarkable achievement for a power-unit manufacturer to take pole with its first new design in its 16th grand prix.

Sources 01
  1. PRIMARY SOURCEWhat the teams said – Qualifying in MalaysiaFormula 1

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