Guenther Steiner rules Max Verstappen out of 2026 title fight: 'He's not a contender'

After four rounds of the 2026 Formula 1 season, Max Verstappen is already being written off as a title contender. Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner didn't mince words on The Red Flags podcast: "He’s not a title contender. No, no way. I don’t even want to explain that. It’s just not going to happen this year."

Verstappen currently sits on 26 points while championship leader Kimi Antonelli has already crossed the 100-point mark. The gap is 74 points — a chasm that even the four-time champion may struggle to bridge, though Red Bull has shown remarkable recovery capabilities in the past.

Why it matters:

Steiner's assessment reflects the broader reality of Red Bull's struggles in the early ground-effect era of 2026. With the RB22 featuring major revisions — including a Ferrari-style 'macarena' rear wing — the team is still chasing performance. Verstappen's spin at Turn 1 in Miami compromised a promising recovery drive on an alternative strategy, suggesting the car's potential hasn't yet fully translated into results.

The details:

• Verstappen has 26 points from four races; Antonelli leads with 100.
• The RB22 debuted significant aerodynamic updates in Miami, aimed at closing the gap to the frontrunners.
• Verstappen's spin at Turn 1 forced him into a recovery mode, though his pace on an alternative strategy was encouraging for the team.
• Red Bull previously erased a deficit of over 100 points to McLaren after the 2025 summer break, nearly snatching the title in Abu Dhabi — a reminder they shouldn't be counted out entirely.

What's next:

Verstappen is competing in the Nürburgring 24 Hours this weekend, a brief distraction from his F1 woes. Red Bull will continue developing the RB22 ahead of the next European rounds. A comeback like last season's is statistically improbable, but not impossible. As Steiner himself might admit, writing off Verstappen entirely is a risky bet — but for 2026, he's made his position clear.