With Max Verstappen’s brilliance delivering a win and two podiums in the last three races, it’s easy to forget that Red Bull is going through a crisis. In Bahrain two weeks ago, the Milton Keynes-based team endured arguably its worst outing in years, with balance issues plaguing Verstappen’s race and limiting him to a P6 finish.
The Red Bull star’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, was also reported to have been involved in a rift with team advisor Helmut Marko, amid widespread rumors of Verstappen’s potential exit. Mercedes, unsurprisingly, was quickly linked to the 27-year-old driver.
This wasn’t the first time the Silver Arrows’ name popped up next to Verstappen’s. Team principal Toto Wolff has made no secret in the past of his desire to sign the Dutchman. But that was before Wolff named Kimi Antonelli as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement and declared George Russell as the team leader.
Mercedes’ former engineer James Vowles, now the team principal at Williams, recently reiterated that point, even claiming that his former team was better off without Verstappen anyway.
Vowles hailed Verstappen’s performances, but added, “He comes with a lot of downsides as well that we have to acknowledge.” This comment did not sit well with Guenther Steiner.
Max Verstappen is not a good fit for Mercedes says James Vowles
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) April 18, 2025
On the Red Flags podcast—where he has made numerous appearances since his sacking from Haas in 2023—Steiner hit back at Vowles, reminding him that, regardless of whatever issues Verstappen may bring to the table, he guarantees world championships, something very few drivers can offer.
“I would think anybody who wants to win the world championship can live with Max’s downside, you know because it’s like you look what he’s doing with the Red Bull because for sure that car is not the fastest car out there but he keeps on doing it,” explained the Italian-American.
Verstappen has won four titles with Red Bull so far, with his 2024 victory, in particular, proving that he can top the standings even without the fastest car on the grid. For nearly two-thirds of the season, he was driving what was arguably the third-fastest car.
Steiner wasn’t entirely wrong with his claim. So, what did Vowles mean by the “downsides”?
Presumably, the Briton was referring to the politics and power dynamics that come with Verstappen. Although it’s not official, many believe Verstappen has a significant say at Red Bull—ranging from who the second driver is, to car development decisions, and even staff appointments or dismissals. If true, that’s a headache Mercedes could do without.
On the flip side, for a team that hasn’t won a title in nearly five years, is that really a reason to turn down a 64-time Grand Prix winner? Probably not.
