The former Haas boss said the Dutchman no longer has a clear seat at the German brand because they have found the "next Max." He also considered that Red Bull remains one of the four big teams.
Guenther Steiner, former Haas team principal, has made a forceful statement about Max Verstappen's future: Mercedes no longer needs the four time world champion because they have found his successor in Andrea Kimi Antonelli: "What I think is the problem for Max right now is that if you had asked me three or four days ago, I would say going to McLaren is a lateral move. After the Hungarian Grand Prix, maybe it's not a lateral move, but things have changed since then" declared Steiner in an interview.
The former driver and executive analyzed Verstappen's current situation in the driver market: "If Max goes somewhere, obviously he wants to go somewhere that is better than Red Bull, and there aren't many teams better than Red Bull" he stated. Steiner believes the Austrian team remains one of the four big teams on the grid, despite its current moment: "Maybe Red Bull right now is not where it wants to be, but it's still one of the four good big teams" he added.
Steiner's central argument is that Mercedes, the most mentioned destination for Verstappen, no longer has a vacant seat for the Dutchman: "The seats are occupied at Ferrari, at Mercedes I think they have now found the next Max Verstappen with Antonelli, so maybe they don't need the real Max Verstappen right now" concluded the former Haas boss.
Kimi Antonelli's emergence in Formula 1 has been one of the big stories of the 2026 season. The 19 year old Italian has won six races and leads the drivers' championship with a 50 point lead over Lewis Hamilton. His performance has exceeded expectations and has changed the driver market landscape. Antonelli has proven he can be Mercedes' long term leader, and his presence has closed the door to other top level drivers.
Verstappen, for his part, has had a complicated season with a Red Bull that has not lived up to its predecessors. The Dutchman is sixth in the drivers' championship and has not won any race so far this season. His future is uncertain, and his exit options seem limited. The RB22's lack of competitiveness and the loss of key figures in the Milton Keynes structure have raised doubts about the project's continuity.
Steiner believes Verstappen's options are limited. Ferrari has Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton secured for the immediate future, and Mercedes has found its star driver in Antonelli. McLaren, for its part, has Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Steiner himself considers a move to Woking would be lateral: "If you had asked me three or four days ago, I would say going to McLaren is a lateral move; after the Hungarian Grand Prix, maybe it's not a lateral move" he stated.
The former Haas boss also referred to rumors placing Verstappen at McLaren. Norris's win in Hungary has shown McLaren can be competitive, but Steiner doubts it would be a step forward for Verstappen. The Dutchman is looking for a team that offers him a winning car, and the options are not abundant.
Verstappen's future remains an unknown, but Steiner's words reflect a reality: the driver market has changed, and the Dutchman no longer has the same bargaining power as a few years ago. Mercedes has found its star, and the options for Verstappen are shrinking. Red Bull remains a competitive team and is likely the best place for the Dutchman to continue his career.
