Steiner on Vowles' 'no' to Verstappen: 'He's P2 in a Red Bull after unjust penalty'

Williams team principal, Mercedes' former Motorsport Strategy Director, James Vowles thinks Toto Wolff should not sign Max Verstappen, due to the alleged downsides he brings to a team. Guenther Steiner, however, disagrees with the Brit.

For Steiner, there are many upsides to signing Max Verstappen. "I think anybody who wants to win the World Championship can live with Max's downside," said the Italian in the Red Flags podcast.

"Look [at] what he's doing with the Red Bull. Because for sure that car is not the fastest car out there. But he keeps on doing it. And as much as the controversy in Bahrain, when he was not happy, guess what, the next race he's back, puts it on P1, and finishes second in the race after getting an unjust penalty."

Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri in Jeddah

Verstappen's 'bust your balls' F1 approach motivates the team to do better

In the aftermath of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Verstappen's manager, Raymond Vermeulen was reported to have gotten into a heated discussion with Red Bull's chief advisor, Helmut Marko. A downside to having Verstappen as a driver? Steiner thinks otherwise.

Read also

Verstappen's stance on Vermeulen-Marko feud: "We care about results"

'Verstappen's manager tears into Marko before storming off'

"Look what he does: winning races, he's now third in the championship, still in distance. A guy like this motivates the rest of the team. Otherwise, Red Bull, after winning so many championships, if you're making results like [Liam] Lawson had and [Yuki] Tsunoda now is doing, the whole thing falls down."

"But Max still going out there, that motivates everybody on Monday to come in and work hard. So yeah, as a boss, you have to take Raymond not being happy after Bahrain. No s**t, who was happy in Red Bull after Bahrain?

Verstappen has also criticised the team himself at times, but Steiner believes that the Dutchman's approach only helps the team improve.

"Max is not complacent. That is what you want, and that's again an upside. I wouldn't see that as a negative. Yeah, he's busting your balls to do better, but I think that helps them."