The possibility of Max Verstappen switching from Red Bull to Mercedes does not convince Guenther Steiner. The former Haas team boss stated that Toto Wolff would have no reason to dismantle the current driver duo of the German team to hire the four-time Formula 1 champion.
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Verstappen’s future remains surrounded by speculation after the problems faced at Red Bull in 2026. Besides dissatisfaction with the new regulation cars, the Dutchman again criticized the reliability of the RB22 after retiring from the British GP due to a rear wing failure. Since then, rumors mainly link him to Mercedes and McLaren.
For Steiner, however, a move to the Brackley team makes no sense. “But where would he go? If he doesn’t like Red Bull, there are places he could go, but they don’t have the money to pay him nor the car he wants,” he said on The Red Flags podcast. He then questioned: “Why would Mercedes hire him? Mercedes has the next superstar and a very good driver in George.”
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In the Italian’s assessment, Verstappen’s arrival would only be possible if George Russell left the team. “The only way Max would get in is if George left. Max costs much more than George and could also destabilize Kimi. Why would Toto do that? In my opinion, he is too smart to make that decision, especially spending much more money,” he added.
After competing for the title in 2025, Verstappen is experiencing a much tougher season. After nine rounds, the Red Bull driver is only in seventh place in the drivers’ championship, with 76 points. The championship leader is Kimi Antonelli, from Mercedes, with 179 points.
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