SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium - New Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies said his main priority is improving the team's car in order to quieten the noise about Max Verstappen's future.
Red Bull's declining form over the past 12 months has been a source of increasing frustration for the four-time world champion.
More recently, poor results have opened up speculation of Verstappen leaving as early as next year through clauses in his contract, which sources have confirmed to ESPN do exist.
The likelihood of him leaving for 2026 seems unlikely but he made it clear this week a competitive car will be key to him staying.
Mekies, who replaced sacked team boss Christian Horner earlier this month, said improving the car has to be his main focus.
"In terms of priority, I'm sure Max wants a fast car and if we get him a fast car, I'm sure it's cancelling out all the other considerations," Mekies said on Friday.
"So really the focus is very much, as we said earlier, to try to get to know the team as quickly as possible in order to see how we can support, how we can build the next step of competitiveness in order to get a fast car and hence to make it an easy call for Max."
Horner's sacking caught the Formula 1 paddock unawares, ending the longest existing tenure of any one team boss in the sport.
Mekies said he was as surprised as anyone else.
"I got a call a few hours before you guys were made aware," Mekies said. "I got a call from Oliver [Mintzlaff, managing director of Red Bull GmbH] and Helmut [Marko, Red Bull's motorsport advisor], and they asked me if I would be interested to do the job, and obviously it came out of the blue at that moment for me. I was actually in the UK at Racing Bulls and it came in a completely unexpected way.
"I actually asked them to think about it for a few hours and hung up the phone. Obviously, it's difficult to digest, but the first thing that then comes into your mind, you say, 'Well, wait a second, it's Red Bull. They are calling you, they're asking you to step in to do that job, with everything that Red Bull means - it's energy, it's spirit, how they go about their racing teams -- and that's how you pick up the phone and you say, 'Of course, it's an honor, it's a privilege', as we said."
Mekies said Horner has been a constant source of support to him since.
He has been nothing else than supportive, even in the extremely difficult context for him. He was the first one to text, he was the first one to call, I think again this morning or yesterday, we text each other again.
"So he has been nothing other than supportive, which is very impressive in the context. Nobody is going to replace his character, nobody is going to replace him like for like. I come in to do the CEO and team principal job.
"Is there any way anyone can do it in the same way as Christian? No. At least certainly not me. We will be relying on the incredible strengths of everybody in this team. Everybody is stepping up.
"It's certainly an opportunity to look for even more empowerment of our people. We will certainly look at this phase as a way to get our incredible people to step up and to create together the next competitive advantage for the next regulation phase."
Red Bull is embarking on an unprecedented project next season, when Formula 1 will introduce a sweeping rule change on both the aerodynamic and engine side.
Red Bull is ending its title-winning Honda partnership and building its own engines from its UK factory in Milton Keynes.