Jos Verstappen takes a dig at Günther Steiner on social media—this comes after a recent spat between his son Max and former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya
Just recently there was a spat between Max Verstappen and Juan Pablo Montoya, and now Max’s father Jos is taking on the next Formula 1 expert. On social media, the Dutchman took a dig at long-time Haas team principal Günther Steiner.
The 54-year-old commented on X on a post in which Steiner was quoted as saying that Max Verstappen probably only still likes the 2026 Formula 1 regulations because he isn’t winning right now.
Specifically, Steiner said on the Red Flags podcast after the Canadian Grand Prix, in which Verstappen finished third: “Max Verstappen was a bit happier because he was on the podium. If he had won, he’d probably be really happy. They’d be the best rules ever.”
Even though Steiner made these remarks tongue-in-cheek, Jos Verstappen responded with the following post: “Hello Günther. I understand why you’re no longer a Formula 1 team principal. The way you talk.”
Steiner was team principal at Haas from 2014 to 2024, but subsequently had to make way for the current team boss, Ayao Komatsu. Since late 2025, he has been active in MotoGP, where he took over the Tech3 team with a consortium.
Nevertheless, Steiner remains a sought-after expert in Formula 1. For his comments about Max Verstappen, however, he’s facing backlash not only from Verstappen’s father, Jos, but also from Daniel Juncadella, who was Verstappen’s teammate in this year’s 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.
He writes on social media about the four-time world champion: “The guy has been warning everyone about the new rules since 2023. But the head of the consortium that took over the Tech3 MotoGP team knows better.”
In fact, Verstappen is one of the people in the paddock who has been skeptical of the new 2026 regulations for years. As early as 2023, for example, he said that the regulations were “too complicated” and would feel “strange.”
Because the Dutchman has publicly criticized the rules several times this year as well, Juan Pablo Montoya recently suggested a race ban for Verstappen. Verstappen recently countered in an interview with De Telegraaf, saying that Montoya was talking “a lot of nonsense.”
