‘Crucial point’ in Max Verstappen staying at Red Bull claimed by Guenther Steiner

Max Verstappen has decided to stay with Red Bull for F1 2026 because he does not know which team will be strong that year.

That is the claim made by Guenther Steiner, the former Red Bull technical operations director and ex-Haas team principal, after Verstappen’s commitment to Red Bull for F1 2026 brought an end to rumours that he could move to rivals Mercedes.

Could Red Bull yet be Max Verstappen’s best bet?

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

It has been a volatile couple of months in the F1 rumour mill, with Verstappen and Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff failing to shut down the idea of an F1 2026 union — a new partnership to pair with a new chassis and engine regulatory era.

However, Verstappen declared ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix that “it’s time” to stop the rumours, confirming he will remain with Red Bull next season, while current Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli are expected to receive extended terms.

A recent twist in the Verstappen F1 future saga was Red Bull’s sudden axing of Christian Horner, their team boss of 20+ years, with former F1 driver turned pundit Martin Brundle arguing such a move would not have been made without it being one which kept Verstappen at the team.

But, Steiner believes the real critical factor behind Verstappen’s F1 2026 Red Bull commitment is uncertainty, as with such sweeping rule changes coming, it is unclear who will best interpret them.

“I think the crucial point is that he doesn’t know which team will be strong next season,” Steiner said of Verstappen in an RTL/ntv and sport.de interview.

“Switching now and signing a three-year contract with a racing team, and then he might be in the wrong car next year: that risk was too great for him.

“So he said to himself that he’d rather stay with Red Bull and then, if necessary, he can get out of his contract at the end of next year if the car doesn’t work out.”

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Red Bull are one of the more intriguing protagonists for F1 2026, as they are taking the leap of becoming an engine manufacturer for the first time, their newly-formed Red Bull Powertrains division working in partnership with Ford.

The challenge is immense for the Milton Keynes-based squad, which has seen its leading pace fade over the last 12 months. But Verstappen may not need to look beyond Red Bull after 2026, as Steiner can easily envisage them as one of the strongest teams on next year’s grid.

“You don’t know how strong the competition is,” Steiner pointed out. “You know Red Bull, they have a good team. But there aren’t any bad teams left among the others either.

“So much is new next year: the chassis, the aerodynamics, the engine, everything. You just don’t know who will do the best job. You just have to wait and see.

“I do believe that they have a chance. They have a good infrastructure, they have good people. Everyone has the same chance. Red Bull is not a bad team.

“You mustn’t forget that Max Verstappen has already won races this year. People are complaining at a high level. They naturally want more because they are used to having more.

“Next year they will certainly be among the best; I think there will be several good teams.”

Verstappen has affirmed his commitment to Red Bull for F1 2026, but the four-time World Champion declined to comment when quizzed on what his future could look like in the years that follow, Verstappen under contract at Red Bull until the end of 2028.

“I don’t know. I mean, if you ask me that question next year, then yes, we all have that speculation,” he told the media, including PlanetF1.com.

“But for me, I never speak about it, because I’m more interested in just working on the performance of things. That’s why I also never really talk about what is in my contract.”

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