The debate surrounding Max Verstappen’s long-term Formula 1 future continues across the paddock, particularly after summer break meetings with Toto Wolff reignited speculation about a potential move to Mercedes. However, former Haas team principal Günther Steiner believes Brackley no longer needs to chase the four-time World Champion, pointing to Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s breakout campaign.
Antonelli currently leads the 2026 Drivers’ Championship over teammate George Russell, shifting the dynamic within Mercedes. Appearing on the Up To Speed podcast alongside David Coulthard, Steiner noted that Verstappen’s options outside Red Bull are remarkably slim if he seeks a guaranteed upgrade.
“If Max goes somewhere, obviously he wants to go to a team that is better than Red Bull, and there aren’t many,” Steiner explained. “They might not be where they want to be at the moment, but they’re still one of the four big teams.”
“The seats at Ferrari are filled. At Mercedes, I think they’ve already found the next Max Verstappen. So maybe they don’t need the real one right now,” Steiner added.
Steiner also addressed paddock rumors linking Verstappen to McLaren—potentially in a straight swap involving Oscar Piastri moving to Red Bull—but questioned whether moving to Woking represents a clear step forward.
“Until a few races ago, we were asking if McLaren is genuinely better than Red Bull. Red Bull has one major advantage: they run their own works power unit under the new 2026 regulations, which is huge,” Steiner observed. “McLaren is doing well as a Mercedes customer, but that would be the only real possibility, and I don’t even know if that option truly exists.”
“The biggest question for Max is that if he moves, he only wants to go to the absolute best team available,” Steiner concluded.
Formula 1 resumes track action August 21–23 at Circuit Zandvoort for the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix, featuring a reshuffled Red Bull lineup following Isack Hadjar’s injury. GRANDE PRÊMIO is covering all activities live on-site with reporter Leonid Kliuev.
2026 Dutch Grand Prix — Session Schedule (Local Time / CEST)
| Day | Session | Local Time (CEST) |
| Friday, August 21 | Free Practice 1 | 12:30 – 13:30 |
| Friday, August 21 | Sprint Qualifying | 16:30 – 17:14 |
| Saturday, August 22 | Sprint Race | 12:00 – 12:30 |
| Saturday, August 22 | Grand Prix Qualifying | 16:00 – 17:00 |
| Sunday, August 23 | Grand Prix (72 Laps) | 15:00 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why does Günther Steiner think Mercedes doesn’t need Max Verstappen?
Steiner believes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli has already proven himself as Mercedes’ next star driver, rendering a high-cost pursuit of Verstappen redundant for Toto Wolff.
What advantage does Red Bull have according to Steiner?
Steiner points to Red Bull running its own works power unit under the 2026 technical regulations as a key advantage over customer teams like McLaren.
Which teams are fully locked in with their driver lineups?
Ferrari (Leclerc/Hamilton), McLaren (Norris/Piastri), Williams (Albon/Sainz), and Cadillac (Pérez/Bottas) have confirmed driver pairings locked in for the near future.
