Verstappen pushes McLaren into impossible sacrifice, sees Steiner

Speaking on the Red Flags podcast, the former Haas team boss argued that even if Verstappen has the best car at this stage, he won’t win every race. What matters, he said, is the pressure Verstappen’s presence puts on McLaren.

“I think even if Max has got the best car, he still can just make, you know, he will not win them all anyway, in my opinion. And so, but it could open up, that it gets competitive and that McLaren has to change the papaya rules and support one driver actually supported to win,” Steiner said.

According to Steiner, McLaren should have made that decision earlier. “Which they maybe should have done a little bit earlier, you know, but obviously they want to be fair, even wanting to lose a world championship, you know, by being fair. I wouldn't do that.”

When it was pointed out that McLaren CEO Zak Brown would never ask Norris to move over for Piastri, Steiner insisted that eventually the team will have to act if it wants to secure the title.

For Steiner, it comes down to avoiding internal losses. “And so instead of having two fighting and lose it all, you get somebody to win. As much as Lando is the face and, you know, as you put it, the favored son. I think McLaren needs to be above that and will be above that.”

James Hinchcliffe seems to think so. Appearing on the F1 Nation podcast the IndyCar race winner stated that, like Lando Norris' late in the season title charge las year, no one really believes Verstappen will take home the title.

He did add, though, that if any driver could bridge that 69-points gap that separates the Dutchman from Piastri, the reigning World Champion is that driver.

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