ONE SHOCKING REASON RED BULL MIGHT LOSE MAX VERSTAPPEN BEFORE THE 2027 SEASON
Will Max Verstappen join Mercedes? Steiner breaks down why Jos Verstappen and Raymond Vermeulen have secured Max's F1 future.
Ex-Haas boss Guenther Steiner isn’t worried about Max Verstappen making the same career mistakes that have followed Fernando Alonso around Formula 1.
Sure, Verstappen lost the World Championship to Lando Norris in 2025, but look at how he finished the season—more wins than anyone else. That says a lot. He’s still the guy everyone measures themselves against. Drivers, team bosses, you name it—they all call him the best on the grid.
Now, things do look a bit uncertain for Verstappen with Red Bull building its own engine under the new rules. People keep linking him to Mercedes, and honestly, the German team seems to have an edge with their power unit. Still, Steiner says Verstappen’s got the right people around him to make sure he lands in a top car again by 2027—if not sooner.
“I think Max will be in the right car, so he’ll keep winning,” Steiner said on the Red Flags podcast. “He’s smart, and so is everyone around him. His contract’s open enough that whoever’s got the fastest car will want him, and they’ll figure it out.”
Alonso’s story is different. He’s still chasing that third Drivers’ title, but bad career moves have left him stuck on 32 wins since 2013. Steiner doesn’t see Verstappen falling into the same trap. Apparently, Verstappen’s Red Bull contract has escape clauses, so he won’t get stuck if things go south.
“He can make it happen himself with the contract he’s got, and I think he’s already planned for that,” Steiner said.
“He won’t do what Alonso did. Fernando always seemed to pick the wrong car. He’s a huge talent, but he never put himself in the right place.”
Steiner credits Verstappen’s dad, Jos, and his manager, Raymond Vermeulen, for keeping his career on track.
“Between Jos and Raymond, they’ll make sure Max ends up in the right car. So there’s nothing to worry about. Max will have the best, or at least the second-best, car,” Steiner finished.
SERGIO PEREZ BREAKS SILENCE ON CADILLAC’S FIRST FOUR RACES OF 2026 F1 SEASON
Discover why Sergio Perez is confident in Cadillac’s 2026 path despite urgent needs for better pace and reliability fixes.
Sergio Perez didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts on Cadillac after the first four races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Cadillac shows up in 2026 as F1’s newest team, but honestly, not a lot of people expected fireworks right away. With veterans like Valtteri Bottas and Perez behind the wheel, the team’s start has been a mix, some moments full of promise, others derailed by reliability issues.
Still, Cadillac isn’t just stuck at the back. Lately, they’ve been right there fighting with Aston Martin and even managed to split them in Miami, which turned a few heads.
Perez knows the team is at risk of falling behind in this crazy-fast development race, though. “We still have work to do, but I’m confident we’re on the right path,” he told reporters, including Motorsport Week.
He added, “Sometimes, once tyre degradation sets in, we can hang with the midfield, but they always seem to find another gear. There’s a long way to go this season, but we’re in a rush to find more pace. We know Aston will get stronger, and we don’t want to be left behind.”
Racing Aston Martin has actually brought Perez some enjoyment. He especially likes battling Fernando Alonso, calling those fights fair and satisfying. Still, he pointed out a weak spot: “We’re having fun with them. Racing Fernando is always great because he’s so fair. But we struggled with tyre degradation; we burnt through them too quickly. We picked the hard compound, but honestly, looking back, I should’ve gone with the soft.”
He said there’s plenty to analyse, and really, the key is getting a better grip on their car as they look ahead to Canada. “We don’t have much time, but in the short term, we need to fix the degradation. We have some ideas, but putting them together is our biggest challenge in the next few weeks.”
Cadillac may be the new kid on the block and still finding its feet, but it’s already starting to make an impact. The road out of the lower ranks won’t be easy, but they’re moving in the right direction.
HOW KIMI ANTONELLI’S THREE-RACE WIN STREAK IS REDEFINING THE MERCEDES TEAM HIERARCHY
With a 43-second gap in Miami, Antonelli proves he’s ready to lead the World Championship. Can Russell bounce back in Canada?
David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.
Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.
At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.
Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.
“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.
Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.
“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.
Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.
The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.
“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.
For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.
