Steiner Backs Verstappen to Always Find the Right Car, Slams Alonso's Choices
Guenther Steiner is confident Max Verstappen will always be in a winning car, taking a sharp jab at Fernando Alonso's history of team choices he deems as mistakes.
Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner believes Max Verstappen's career trajectory is secure, stating the four-time champion is too smart to make the same 'wrong car' mistakes he claims have defined Fernando Alonso's legacy. Steiner is confident that Verstappen's intelligence and support system will ensure he remains in a competitive car for years to come.
Why it matters:
Steiner's comments highlight the critical, often overlooked, element of a driver's career: strategic decision-making. While raw talent is essential, being in the right machinery at the right time is what separates multiple world champions from 'what if' stories, a narrative that has long followed Alonso's otherwise stellar career.
The details:
- Verstappen's Acumen: Steiner praised Verstappen's intelligence and the smart team surrounding him, expressing confidence that he "will continue his success."
- Contractual Flexibility: He suggested Verstappen's Red Bull contract is structured to allow a move to whichever team has the "leading car," ensuring he's not locked into a declining team. "Whoever has the leading car wants Max Verstappen; they will make it happen," Steiner noted.
- A Jab at Alonso: The most pointed critique was reserved for Alonso. "Fernando was a talent in that league, but he just couldn’t do it because he always put himself in the wrong car," Steiner asserted, adding that the Spaniard was "very good at picking the wrong car all the time."
- The Inner Circle: Steiner credited Verstappen's father, Jos, and manager, Raymond Vermeulen, for ensuring he makes the right career moves to maintain his competitive edge and confidence.
Between the lines:
Steiner's analysis is a blunt assessment of the 'talent vs. car' debate. It frames Alonso's two-decade quest for a third title not as a story of bad luck, but of flawed strategy. For Verstappen, the message is clear: his legacy will be defined not just by his driving prowess, but by his ability to avoid the career pitfalls that have ensnared even the most gifted drivers in F1 history.