Steiner: 'We all know that Max wanted to go to Mercedes at some point'

F1 News

Guenther Steiner on F1 driver Max Verstappen and Mercedes
6 September at 08:00
8
  • Jeroen Immink

Former Formula 1 team boss Guenther Steiner suggests that Max Verstappen would have actually been open to a move to Mercedes. According to the Italian, Verstappen would have information on both Red Bull Racing's and Mercedes' engines in 2026. Steiner explains this viewpoint in the Red Flags podcast.

The Mercedes driver pairing in Formula 1 in 2025 has now been announced. They will be George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli. But for 2026, team boss Toto Wolff suggests the Verstappen communication channel remains open. Steiner - if he were in Verstappen's shoes - would be open to a transfer to the team from Brackley.

Steiner: 'We all know that Max wanted to go to Mercedes'

"I think there is a good chance of that happening. We all know that Verstappen wanted to go to Mercedes. And at the moment, he is not happy where he is," said Steiner in the podcast. Verstappen currently has an RB20 with which he cannot - as in 2023 - structurally fight for victories.

In 2026, the engine regulations will be overhauled. This is, therefore, an opportunity for all F1 teams to build a car with which they can win. Steiner thinks that Verstappen might have a better chance of winning a world title at Mercedes than at Red Bull. "Max will have a lot of information about where the Red Bull engine programme is next year. Max will have a lot of information about where the Mercedes programme is next year if Toto tries to lure him there. Then he can make a decision not [based] on hope," Steiner concluded.

This article has been created in collaboration with Matt Gretton

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