Russell urges his boss Toto Wolff to bring Verstappen on board.
"I’d be glad to be Verstappen’s teammate."
Mercedes’ next driver lineup should feature George Russell alongside Max Verstappen. This is the straightforward opinion of Russell himself, who rejects the notion that team principal Toto Wolff is being "disrespectful" by not quickly extending his contract for 2026 and beyond. It seems that Wolff is potentially keeping open the possibility for a surprising move of Verstappen from Red Bull.
"The truth is, no," Russell told El Mundo Deportivo when asked if he feels disrespected by Wolff during what could be his best season yet at Mercedes and in Formula 1. "The reality is that there are two seats in a Formula 1 team. And I’ve already stated that I’d be happy to be Verstappen’s teammate," the 27-year-old Brit affirmed. "Why wouldn’t a team want Verstappen? If I were Toto, having two seats and the option to pick any driver available, I would choose myself and Verstappen. That’s what I would do if I were in Toto’s position."
Currently, Russell is partnered at Mercedes with 18-year-old rookie Kimi Antonelli, who is a highly regarded protégé of Wolff. Many believe it is very unlikely that Wolff would let Antonelli go, which raises the chance that Russell might be replaced at the end of the year. "I don’t see it as disrespectful," Russell reiterated when asked about his contract nearing expiration. "That’s simply how the sport operates."
"I think Ferrari, if given the choice, would select Verstappen and (Charles) Leclerc. McLaren would probably want Verstappen and either (Lando) Norris or (Oscar) Piastri. Verstappen would be the top choice for every team. So it’s not disrespectful; it’s just the reality," Russell concluded.
Russell expresses "full confidence" that he will be in a competitive car in 2026, and many insiders believe that if Verstappen does transition to Mercedes, Red Bull would probably acquire Russell. Notably, Russell sees Red Bull as having a strong chance to remain competitive next year, despite the team producing its own engine in partnership with Ford. In contrast, Mercedes’ power unit is expected to excel in 2026 and beyond.
"Yes, but McLaren also has our engine, and right now, we're behind McLaren," Russell noted. "At this moment, we’re closer to Williams than to McLaren. There’s a lot of optimism surrounding our 2026 engine, but it’s just noise, not concrete facts. How can you predict what others will do? I know what Mercedes has, but I don't know what Ferrari has. I don’t know what Red Bull will bring. So all this talk is meaningless.
"Of course, my aim is to stay with Mercedes. It’s where I want to be. Nothing would make me happier than to win with Mercedes. But contracts in Formula 1 are overrated."
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