F1 latest: Former team principal questions why Max Verstappen would leave Red Bull amid McLaren rumours

Former Haas squad main Guenther Steiner has doubts astir whether Max Verstappen would payment from a Red Bull exit contempt the team's struggles this season. 

Verstappen has spent his full F1 vocation with Red Bull, winning 71 races and 4 consecutive drivers' championships from 2021 to 2024. 

The Dutchman has a declaration until the extremity of 2028, but determination is believed to beryllium an exit clause that would let him to articulation a caller squad for adjacent twelvemonth if Red Bull are extracurricular the apical 2 of the Drivers' Championship erstwhile the summertime interruption comes astir successful August. 

According to Sky Sports News, Verstappen's campy precocious initiated talks with McLaren amid speculation that helium could find a caller squad for 2027.

Red Bull squad main admitted earlier the Austrian GP that his squad request to amended if they privation to clasp Verstappen's services.

Steiner assesses Verstappen's options

However, Steiner has his doubts astir whether leaving Red Bull is the close determination for Verstappen astatine this constituent successful time.

"I deliberation that Max ever keeps his eyes unfastened for what is retired there, but if Max moves on, past helium needs to determination connected to a amended team, and determination are not galore astir amended than Red Bull," Steiner told Sports Mole

"Most of these teams person got their operator line-up for the adjacent fewer years too. So, a bully squad with a bully operator line-up, they don't request Max, due to the fact that portion Max comes with a batch of talent, helium comes with a large terms tag arsenic well.

"And arsenic overmuch arsenic we accidental wealth doesn't matter, wealth ever matters. So archetypal of all, however galore opportunities are determination for Max successful 1 of the starring teams, and secondly, who has really got a seat?

"I deliberation Mercedes is beauteous acceptable astatine the infinitesimal with Kimi and with George. They've got a bully pairing together. Bringing Max successful there, what would they do? I deliberation not a lot.

"Ferrari, you know, with Lewis determination and Charles, they conscionable re-signed Charles. Why would they fto him go? And Lewis has got thing near connected his contract, truthful there's nary large anticipation determination immoderate clip soon."

"Why would helium spell determination else?"

Steiner besides questions whether determination would beryllium immoderate payment of a determination to McLaren, particularly arsenic they whitethorn not connection him the aforesaid magnitude of power and accidental successful matters that helium presently enjoys astatine Red Bull.

"The lone happening for Max could beryllium McLaren, but McLaren, astatine the moment, are not immoderate amended than Red Bull," Steiner said.

"So wherefore would helium permission what helium knows, wherever helium knows what helium has got, wherever helium knows that his dependable is heard, and helium has got a definite magnitude of powerfulness successful the team? Why would helium spell determination other astatine the moment?

"The McLaren squad is not amended than wherever helium is. So I deliberation if you were to inquire Max, honestly, what bash you think?

"I deliberation helium would accidental that helium is going to enactment put, but if there's thing developing, helium tin ever look. But astatine the moment, the champion enactment for him is to enactment wherever helium is astatine Red Bull."

Verstappen achieved a second-place decorativeness successful past weekend's Austrian Grand Prix aft Red Bull brought a raft of upgrades to the team's location race.

The four-time satellite champion volition beryllium aiming to physique upon that effect successful the upcoming sprint play astatine Silverstone. 

Guenther Steiner was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of 247Bet.