Steiner: Antonelli Proves Mercedes Don't Need Verstappen

Andrea Kimi Antonelli's impressive Formula 1 form means Mercedes no longer needs to sign Max Verstappen, according to former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner. The young Italian has emerged as the team's future, silencing doubts about their driver lineup.

Verstappen has long been linked with a sensational switch to Mercedes, and the four-time world champion's future remains a hot topic as Red Bull struggles to match the dominant Silver Arrows this season. However, Steiner believes Antonelli's rise has changed the equation entirely.

The 28-year-old Dutchman is yet to win a race this year and sits sixth in the drivers' championship with 109 points, trailing leader Antonelli by 110 points. That gap highlights not only Verstappen's struggles but also Mercedes' strength with their young star.

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"What I think the problem for Max at the moment is if you would have asked me three or four days ago, I would say going to McLaren is a sideways move, after [the Hungarian Grand Prix], maybe it isn't a sideways move, but things changed since then," Steiner told the Up To Speed podcast. "If Max goes somewhere, obviously he wants to go somewhere which is better than Red Bull, and there are not many teams around better than Red Bull."

Steiner added that despite Red Bull's current dip, they remain one of the top four teams. "The seats are filled at Ferrari. At Mercedes, I think they've now found the next Max Verstappen. So, maybe they don't need the real Max Verstappen at the moment," he asserted.

Recent weeks have also linked Verstappen with a shock move to McLaren, but Steiner expressed doubts. "Then there was McLaren, but McLaren until a few races ago, it's like, are they really better than Red Bull? Because I think Red Bull has got one advantage. They've got their own engine now, which is an advantage," he explained. "If you have got the works engine, I mean McLaren is doing very well having a Mercedes customer engine. But in the end, [McLaren] would be the only possibility [for Verstappen], and I don't know if that possibility even exists."

Steiner also touched on rumors of Oscar Piastri potentially moving to Red Bull. "There was the rumour that maybe Oscar could go to Red Bull, but I think that is the biggest thing for Max: if Max goes somewhere, he wants to go to the best team around," he concluded.