Max Verstappen’s Transfer Options Have Completely Evaporated, According to Former Haas Boss

The Formula 1 paddock loves a blockbuster transfer rumor, and for the better part of a year (and especially now!), the dominant narrative has been and is: Max Verstappen potentially walking away from Red Bull Racing. But former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has just injected a heavy dose of pragmatic reality into the conversation: even if Verstappen wanted to leave, where would he actually go?

In an exclusive interview with 247Bet, Steiner broke down the current landscape of the Formula 1 driver market, explaining why a seismic shift for the world champion is virtually impossible in the short term. The issue isn’t a lack of talent—it is a complete lack of available real estate at the top of the grid.

Here is why Steiner believes Verstappen is effectively locked into his seat at Milton Keynes.

If a driver of Verstappen’s caliber is going to leave a championship-winning operation, they require an immediate step up. The problem is that the only teams capable of offering that step have already locked their doors for the foreseeable future.

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NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – JULY 03: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing prepares to drive during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 03, 2026 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202607030238 // Usage for editorial use only //

As Steiner pointed out, both Ferrari and Mercedes have completely finalized their long-term strategies, and neither of them has the budget or the need to blow up their current rosters.

• The Ferrari Blockade: Maranello has the most high-profile driver pairing in modern history. With Charles Leclerc recently re-signed to a long-term deal and Lewis Hamilton holding a multi-year contract, there is simply no physical seat available for Verstappen.

• The Mercedes Youth Movement: Down in Brackley, Mercedes is fully committed to its new era. “Mercedes is pretty set at the moment with Kimi [Antonelli] and with George [Russell],” Steiner noted. “They’ve got a good pairing together. Bringing Max in there, what would he do? I think not a lot.”

The Ferrari Blockade: Maranello has the most high-profile driver pairing in modern history. With Charles Leclerc recently re-signed to a long-term deal and Lewis Hamilton holding a multi-year contract, there is simply no physical seat available for Verstappen.

The Mercedes Youth Movement: Down in Brackley, Mercedes is fully committed to its new era. “Mercedes is pretty set at the moment with Kimi [Antonelli] and with George [Russell],” Steiner noted. “They’ve got a good pairing together. Bringing Max in there, what would he do? I think not a lot.”

Beyond the logistics of the seats themselves, Steiner highlighted the ultimate underlying factor: the financials. Verstappen brings generational talent, but he also brings one of the most expensive price tags in the history of the sport. As Steiner bluntly stated, “As much as we say money doesn’t matter, money always matters.”

With the red and silver garages closed, the only theoretical landing spot for a disgruntled world champion would be McLaren. However, from a purely competitive and political standpoint, Steiner questions why Verstappen would ever take that gamble.

At Red Bull, Verstappen is the undisputed center of gravity. The entire engineering philosophy and team culture are built around his exact driving style and feedback.

“McLaren is not any better than Red Bull,” Steiner argued. “So why would he leave what he knows, where he knows what he has got, where he knows that his voice is heard, and he has got a certain amount of power in the team? Why would he go somewhere else and risk losing that?”

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SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA – JUNE 27: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing looks on in the garage during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 27, 2026 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202606270444 // Usage for editorial use only //

Moving to Woking would mean starting from scratch politically, battling against an entrenched Lando Norris, and adapting to a completely different operational culture—all for a car that doesn’t currently offer a distinct performance advantage over the RB22.

Ultimately, the Formula 1 driver market is a ruthless game of musical chairs, and right now, the music has stopped.

While the internal politics at Red Bull may remain turbulent, the external reality is that Verstappen’s hand is essentially forced by the lack of better alternatives.

As Steiner concluded, Verstappen is a smart operator who is always keeping his eyes open, but for now, his most logical—and perhaps only—play is to stay exactly where he is.