Günther Steiner believes Mercedes may no longer need to pursue Max Verstappen because Toto Wolff already has what he describes as the “next Max Verstappen” in Kimi Antonelli. Assessing the four-time World Champion’s options away from Red Bull, the former Haas team principal argued that very few realistic destinations would offer Verstappen a clear competitive step forward.
The comments represent another significant compliment for Kimi Antonelli, whose rapid rise has changed the picture at Mercedes. The Italian has increasingly established himself as one of the central figures in the team’s future, while Verstappen’s own long-term plans remain one of the biggest questions surrounding the Formula 1 driver market.
What alternatives does Max Verstappen have to Red Bull?
The last two and a half years have been anything but calm for Max Verstappen at Red Bull. Internal upheaval, power struggles, controversies, high-profile departures and the resulting technical uncertainty have surrounded the Dutchman while he has remained the central pillar of the team.
Keeping that turmoil away from the cockpit and remaining focused once the visor comes down has been one of the toughest tests of Max Verstappen’s career. Inevitably, however, it has come at a cost.
Max Verstappen is driven by winning, and during this period he has repeatedly had reason to question whether Red Bull remains the right place to continue his career. His contract runs until the end of 2028, although performance-related clauses have repeatedly fuelled speculation that he could leave earlier under certain circumstances.
So far, he has not taken that route and may never do so. One reason is straightforward: the realistic alternatives are limited. The latest developments surrounding the four-time champion can be followed through the Max Verstappen section.
Steiner says Red Bull remains one of Verstappen’s best options
Günther Steiner also believes Max Verstappen would be better served by continuing with Red Bull rather than moving simply for the sake of change.
“If he goes somewhere, obviously he wants to go somewhere which is better than Red Bull, and there are not many teams around better than Red Bull,” Steiner said. “Red Bull is still one of the big four good teams.”
Ferrari offers little obvious room, with its seats already occupied. Mercedes, meanwhile, may have an even stronger reason not to disrupt its current plans.
“The seats are filled at Ferrari. At Mercedes, I think they’ve now found the next Max Verstappen. So, maybe they don’t need the real Max Verstappen at the moment,” Steiner added.
The reference was clearly to Kimi Antonelli, whose development has dramatically altered the hierarchy at Mercedes. The Italian’s rise has already created questions about how the team should manage its drivers, with Kimi Antonelli’s advantage over George Russell creating a potential team-order dilemma for Toto Wolff.
Could Max Verstappen move to McLaren?
McLaren has also been discussed as a possible destination for Max Verstappen, particularly with his long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase set to move to Woking in 2028.
However, McLaren is already satisfied with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, leaving another major obstacle to any potential deal. Steiner also believes Red Bull retains one important structural advantage over the Woking team: it operates with its own power unit rather than as a customer.
“Red Bull has got one advantage. They’ve got their own engine now, which is an advantage,” Steiner explained. “McLaren is doing very well having a Mercedes customer engine. But in the end, if Max goes somewhere, he wants to go to the best team around.”
McLaren has made substantial progress during 2026, with the team also crediting Mercedes HPP’s power-unit work for an important performance gain. Even so, switching from Red Bull would only make sense for Max Verstappen if he were convinced the alternative represented a genuine competitive upgrade.
Kimi Antonelli could help keep Verstappen out of Mercedes
For now, the most likely scenario therefore remains Max Verstappen staying with Red Bull for another season. The leading teams already have their preferred driver situations largely in place for 2027, significantly reducing the leverage available to anyone looking to force their way into a top seat.
Kimi Antonelli’s emergence is particularly important in that equation. Mercedes has spent years being linked with Max Verstappen, but if Toto Wolff believes the Italian can develop into a similarly defining driver for the team, the incentive to make a disruptive move becomes much smaller.
That does not mean the driver market is settled. If there is one driver capable of changing the balance at the very top of Formula 1, it is Max Verstappen. A firm decision to leave Red Bull would immediately force the leading teams to reassess possibilities that currently appear closed.
Until then, however, Steiner’s argument is simple: Red Bull remains one of Formula 1’s strongest operations, alternatives are scarce and Mercedes may already possess its own answer to Max Verstappen in Kimi Antonelli.
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