Max Verstappen's future is up in the air heading into 2027, and Mercedes' interest in the four-time champion has been one of the juiciest stories in the paddock. The Dutchman's unhappy with the 2026 regulations and his Red Bull machinery, so he's weighing up his options. McLaren have been circling too, with rumors of a potential swap involving Oscar Piastri. But here's the thing, according to Guenther Steiner, Mercedes might not even need him anymore.

More F1 news: Hamilton Takes the Reins at Ferrari While Leclerc Demands Answers on the SF-26

The former Haas team principal reckons Kimi Antonelli is the real deal and could be the next dominant force in F1. Steiner thinks Mercedes have essentially already found their answer, so signing the genuine Max Verstappen would be redundant. He broke it down pretty clearly: Ferrari's seats are sorted, Mercedes have Antonelli locked in alongside George Russell, and that leaves McLaren as the only realistic option for Verstappen. But even that move might not be an upgrade from where he is now.

More F1 news: Vasseur's Honest Take on 2026 F1 Regs: The Good, the Bad, and the Energy Management

The challenge for Verstappen is simple but brutal. He needs to go somewhere genuinely better than Red Bull, and there simply aren't many options on the grid that qualify. Red Bull might've lost some of their dominance from recent years, but they're still one of the big four teams that matter. McLaren look strong these days, sure, but they were questionable just a few races ago. Red Bull's got their own engine advantage too, which counts for something.

More F1 news: Tom Kristensen Says Audi's Glass is Half Full, and Here's Why He's Right

Steiner also pointed out that both McLaren and Mercedes might have concerns about taking on Verstappen as a teammate. His aggressive driving style and intense demeanor off track could be baggage these teams don't want to deal with. The general consensus is he'll stick with Red Bull for 2027 at minimum, but if things don't improve at Milton Keynes, 2028 could open doors again. For now though, Max is stuck trying to figure out whether his best bet is staying put or looking elsewhere.

Shop the collection: Max Verstappen merch  •  Oscar Piastri merch  •  George Russell merch  •  Kimi Antonelli merch  •  McLaren merch  •  Scuderia Ferrari merch  •  Red Bull Racing merch  •  Mercedes-AMG merch  •  Haas merch