'If Verstappen wants to leave Red Bull Racing, he will go to Mercedes'

Guenther Steiner sees no reason for Max Verstappen to leave Red Bull Racing at the moment. However, should the Dutchman still want to leave the Austrian team, the former Haas team boss points to one team as the logical next step for Verstappen.

"So I think getting out of the contract would be not easy for him. We don't have insight to the contract but I think it's also a good team to drive for at this moment," Steiner outlined Verstappen's situation to Sky Sports. The three-time world champion still has a deal until 2028 at Red Bull Racing. Even in 2024, Red Bull has built another very strong car and Steiner sees no reason for Verstappen to leave.

Where should Verstappen go after Red Bull Racing?

"In Max's own interest, he likes the car there, he likes the team so if there is not anything really disturbing him personally, I think he doesn't really want to move. He's won so much with that team, the team gave him the opportunity in the beginning to get into F1, so I think if they get the personal relationships going again, he will be staying."

Yet it is still far from certain that Verstappen will actually stay with the team. Christian Horner has opened the door by stating that people should not stay with the team if they do not want to and that no one is bigger than the team. The question then is where would Verstappen go?

"I think everyone in Formula 1 at the moment is interested in Max Verstappen. It's more about where he wants to go. It could be Mercedes, who obviously have got a free seat with Lewis going to Ferrari. Aston Martin as well is a possibility, but I think if Max goes somewhere, I guess he would go to Mercedes," Steiner concludes.