Weakened at Red Bull, Max Verstappen continues to fuel speculation about his future in F1. According to Guenther Steiner, the four-time world champion already has three credible options if a departure were to materialize.
Read more Helmut Marko reveals the behind-the-scenes of the Verstappen bet: «Christian Horner was against it»
The future of Max Verstappen continues to generate a lot of buzz in the paddock. Despite a contract running until the end of 2028 with Red Bull Racing, rumors of a possible departure of the Dutchman keep growing after the Austrian team’s difficult start to the season.
The former Haas boss, Guenther Steiner, also believes that Verstappen is already exploring several serious options for the next stage of his career. According to him, only three teams would currently be capable of welcoming a driver of the caliber of the four-time world champion: Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren.
Exit clauses worrying Red Bull
Even though Verstappen remains officially tied to Red Bull for several more years, several performance clauses in his contract could quickly change the situation. One of them would notably concern his position in the drivers’ championship at the summer break.
If the Dutchman is not in the top 2 at that point in the season, an exit door could then open. A scenario that seemed unimaginable just a year ago, but which becomes credible given the difficulties Red Bull has faced since the start of the championship.
After only four rounds, the Milton Keynes team is already in a worrying fourth place in the constructors’ standings with only 30 points. Verstappen himself is only in seventh position in the drivers’ championship, despite having scored almost all of his team’s points.
This situation inevitably weakens the future of the Dutch champion, especially against rivals like Mercedes or McLaren who currently seem to have more competitive cars.
Ferrari, Mercedes or McLaren: the mentioned trio
Asked about a possible arrival of Verstappen at Ferrari, Steiner did not hesitate to broaden the possibilities.
“In my eyes, Max can only go to three teams: Ferrari, McLaren, or Mercedes” he explains.
Read more Max Verstappen narrowly misses out on pole at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring
The Italian points out, however, that no seat is really free in the short term. But for a driver of Verstappen’s level, everything could change quickly.
“The real question is which team would be ready to sacrifice its current duo to get Max” Steiner continues.
The former manager also recalls that Ferrari did not hesitate to part ways with Carlos Sainz to attract Lewis Hamilton, proof that no situation is fixed in F1 when an exceptional champion becomes available.
McLaren and Mercedes remain credible options
For several months, the links between Verstappen and Toto Wolff have regularly fueled speculation about a possible transfer to Mercedes. Even if discussions seem less intense recently, this option is still considered very serious in the paddock.
McLaren also appears as a potential destination, notably with the planned arrival of Gianpiero Lambiase — Verstappen’s long-time race engineer — in the British team around 2028.
For Steiner, Verstappen is obviously exploring these different opportunities behind the scenes.
“I am convinced he is watching what is happening and talking with these three teams, he says. But I don’t think any of them is fully focused on him at the moment.”
One thing is certain: if Red Bull does not manage to quickly reverse the trend, rumors about Max Verstappen’s departure are likely to intensify in the coming months.
Read more Sergio Pérez is having fun fighting with the Aston Martins at the back of the pack