Guenther Steiner, former director of the Haas team, has expressed his disbelief about the possibility of Mercedes seeking to sign Max Verstappen, stating that Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes, is “too intelligent” to make such a move.
Verstappen’s future has been the subject of intense speculation recently, especially after his complaints about the cars with the new regulations and the mechanical issues he has faced with his Red Bull vehicle.
Steiner, in an interview for the podcast The Red Flags, argued that there is no reason for Mercedes to want to change its solid lineup of drivers, which currently includes George Russell, one of the most promising talents in the championship.
According to Steiner, “If Verstappen does not want to continue at Red Bull, there are other options, but these could not afford him and do not have the cars he desires”. He also pointed out that signing Verstappen would destabilize the team, with George Russell as a top-level driver.
In the current 2026 season, Verstappen occupies the seventh position in the championship with only 76 points, far from the leader, his Mercedes teammate, Kimi Antonelli, who has accumulated 179 points. Despite his undeniable talent, the current situation of the Dutch driver raises doubts about his future in Formula 1.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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