Max Verstappen may regret not having accepted an opportunity to join Mercedes in the past, according to Guenther Steiner. For the former Haas Formula 1 boss, the ideal moment for the move has already passed and the German team is unlikely to open up space again for the four-time world champion.
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Verstappen’s future remains surrounded by speculation after a turbulent period at Red Bull Racing. At the British GP, the Dutchman faced technical problems again, when a recurring failure in the rear wing caused a spin and left him stuck in the gravel at Stowe corner, repeating a similar issue previously recorded at the Austrian GP.
Despite rumors about a possible departure from Red Bull, Steiner believes the best opportunity for Verstappen to join Mercedes has already passed. According to him, the negotiations at the time were focused on renewing George Russell’s contract, while the Dutch driver was still uncertain about his future.
“I’m sure Max regrets it,” Steiner said during an appearance on The Red Flags podcast. “At that moment, all the negotiation was being done with George and Mercedes. I think the alternative would have been to put Max there, but he wasn’t sure what would happen in the future. Then, the opportunity simply slipped away.”
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The former executive also pointed out that he doesn’t even know if Verstappen could have gotten out of his contract at that time, but believes that was the right moment for the move: “The chance was at that occasion, and I don’t know if he could have gotten out of the contract that year,” he continued.
In Steiner’s assessment, Verstappen’s stay at Red Bull until the arrival of the new regulations in 2026 completely changed the scenario: “He was convinced to stay where he was and waited for the new rules. Now, obviously, it seems too late,” he added.
To justify his opinion, Steiner highlighted that Mercedes already has a strong duo formed by George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. Furthermore, he recalled that Toto Wolff recently expressed the desire to keep both drivers on the team for the next season, a factor that, in his view, practically closes the doors for a possible arrival of Verstappen, at least next year.
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