Is Max Verstappen facing the same fate as Sebastian Vettel in 2026? Günther Steiner doesn’t think so and sees a crucial difference
Former team boss Günther Steiner does not believe that four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen is facing a similar crash in 2026 to that experienced by former Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel after his fourth title win and the subsequent rule change.
“No,” Steiner replies to a question on this topic in The Red Flags podcast. “I think that’s because Vettel was always in the dominant car. Max, on the other hand, has shown that he can do it even when he’s not in the dominant car, because Red Bull wasn’t the best car out there this year.”
Verstappen secured four consecutive titles with Red Bull from 2021 to 2024, following in the footsteps of Vettel, who also won four consecutive championships with the Milton Keynes-based team from 2010 to 2013. However, after the German won his last title in 2013, he had a winless year with Red Bull in 2014 and moved to Ferrari for the 2015 season. When comparing the two four-time Red Bull world champions, Steiner comes to a clear conclusion. “As much as I respect Vettel and what he has achieved, I think Max is in a different league. Vettel came to Ferrari and he didn’t make much of an impact there. He won races, but it was never a Michael Schumacher success story. So I think Max is simply in a different league.”
Steiner also does not believe that Verstappen is facing a similar fate to Fernando Alonso, who was often in the wrong team at the wrong time during his career and therefore won no more than two world titles.
“I don’t think Max will make that mistake because his father Jos and Raymond [Vermeulen, manager] will make sure they get him into the right car. So I don’t think we need to worry about that. Max will be in the best car or, if not, the second-best car.”