Max Verstappen’s future in Formula 1 remains undefined, but the alternatives for a change in 2027 seem increasingly limited. For former Haas boss Guenther Steiner, staying at Red Bull Racing may end up being the main option for the four-time world champion.
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Although he has a contract with the team until the end of 2028, Verstappen has clauses that may allow his departure at the end of the current season. Mercedes and McLaren have already been pointed out as possible destinations, but Steiner considers that a transfer to either of the two would not be simple.
Ferrari already has its two drivers contracted for 2027, while Mercedes has already stated that it will keep Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. Given this scenario, Steiner assesses that Verstappen would have few alternatives that would represent an improvement over Red Bull.
“If Max goes somewhere, obviously he wants to go somewhere that is better than Red Bull, and there aren’t many teams around that are better than Red Bull,” Steiner said on the Up to Speed podcast. The former Haas boss acknowledged, however, that McLaren’s recent performance changed his assessment: “After Hungary, maybe it’s not a lateral move, but things change.”
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Steiner also highlighted that Red Bull remains among the top teams, despite not currently being at the dominant level shown a few years ago: “Maybe Red Bull at this moment isn’t where it wants to be, at the front like it was a few years ago. But it’s still one of the big four teams,” he added.
About Mercedes, the former executive added that the team may not be interested in making room for Verstappen: “At Mercedes, obviously, I think they have found the next Max Verstappen now, so maybe they don’t need the real Max Verstappen at this moment,” he concluded, referring to Antonelli.
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