Steiner: Max Verstappen regrets missing Mercedes move
Former Haas boss Guenther Steiner claims Max Verstappen now regrets staying at Red Bull instead of joining Mercedes when that door was open. Speaking on the Red Flags Podcast, Steiner said the four-time champion missed his chance during George Russell contract talks and that Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is "too smart" to sign him now.
As speculation over Verstappen's long-term future at Red Bull intensifies, Steiner's comments on the Red Flags Podcast have reignited debate about one of Formula 1's biggest what-if scenarios. For fans tracking driver-market drama alongside other motorsport headlines, our Streaming & TV Alerts hub rounds up the latest breaking stories.
Key Takeaways
- Guenther Steiner told the Red Flags Podcast he believes Max Verstappen "absolutely" regrets not joining Mercedes when the opportunity arose during George Russell contract negotiations.
- Steiner argued the window has closed, saying Mercedes already has Kimi Antonelli and Russell and that Toto Wolff is "too smart" to pay more for Verstappen and risk unsettling the lineup.
- Former F1 driver Anthony Davidson countered that a Verstappen-Antonelli pairing could work, citing mutual respect between the drivers.
- Wolff told Sky Sports F1 at the Austrian Grand Prix that Mercedes does not want to change its 2027 lineup.
- Steiner still expects Verstappen to stay at Red Bull and urged the team to give him a car capable of fighting at the front.
What did Guenther Steiner say about Max Verstappen and Mercedes?
Speaking on the Red Flags Podcast, the former Haas team principal recalled that Verstappen was considered as a potential option while Mercedes was negotiating George Russell's contract.
"Back when Mercedes was negotiating with George, Max might have been considered as an alternative," Steiner said. "I think Max was uncertain about what the future held, and in the end, the opportunity slipped by."
Pressed on whether Verstappen now regrets the decision, Steiner was unequivocal: "Absolutely. I'm sure he has regrets about it."
Why does Steiner think a Mercedes move is "simply too late"?
Steiner told the podcast that Verstappen was convinced to stay at Red Bull and wait for Formula 1's new regulations. The Dutchman now appears to have missed his window.
"He was convinced to stay and wait for the new regulations, but now it's not just a little late, it's simply too late," Steiner said.
He argued Mercedes has no reason to disrupt a lineup built around championship leader Kimi Antonelli and Russell. "Why spend extra money to bring in Max?" Steiner asked. "The only way Max might come in is if George leaves. But Max comes with a much higher price tag and could even unsettle Kimi."
Could a Verstappen-Antonelli pairing still work at Mercedes?
Not everyone agrees the door is permanently shut. Former F1 driver Anthony Davidson told Sky Sports' The F1 Show that a Verstappen-Antonelli pairing could work.
"I think it could work, Kimi and Max, there's a respect there, there's a bit of a friendship there as well," Davidson said. He suggested Verstappen sees much of his younger self in Antonelli.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has pushed back on the speculation. At the Austrian Grand Prix, he told Sky Sports F1: "We don't want to change things. I think it's a line-up that is good for us. I'm very happy with the two of them," according to Crash.net.
Will Max Verstappen leave Red Bull in 2027?
Despite the Mercedes talk, Steiner does not believe Verstappen is preparing to walk away from Red Bull. Verstappen has also been linked with McLaren amid a frustrating 2026 campaign for the Milton Keynes outfit.
"He's staying. That's my opinion, he's staying," Steiner said. "What he needs to do now is spur his team into giving him the car he deserves."
Steiner separately questioned where else Verstappen could go if he wanted out. "If he doesn't like Red Bull, there are places where he can go, but they don't have the money to pay him, and they don't have the car he wants," he said on the podcast.