Russell would 'welcome' Max Verstappen at Mercedes

George Russell is enthusiastic about potentially facing off against Max Verstappen in the same machinery.

For the last few seasons, George Russell has confronted the daunting challenge of matching Lewis Hamilton. After starting his career at Williams, Russell was thrown into the deep end against the 7-time Champion. For many, Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was an opportunity for the British driver to become the leader at Mercedes. However, rumours linking Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen to the Silver Arrows challenge this assumption.

Mercedes evaluate Antonelli and Verstappen

Kimi Antonelli is already completing significant mileage for Mercedes in F1 cars. Toto Wolff has made no secret of his admiration for the 17-year-old talent, who he expects will achieve great things. Despite barely starting his Formula 2 career, the German constructor is already preparing the youngster for Formula 1.

Meanwhile, the Brackley-based outfit is also looking at Max Verstappen. Red Bull’s internal power struggle is widely seen as a destabilising force – especially in relation to Max Verstappen.

Earlier this week, his father – Jos – revealed concerns that Red Bull could be tearing itself apart. These are not his only inflammatory comments, having called for Christian Horner’s departure earlier in the season.

In this context, the three-time Champion is seen as potentially susceptible to a move elsewhere. For Mercedes, however, their performance (or lack thereof) is seen as a limiting factor.

George Russell unphased by Verstappen

Many have argued that Russell’s arrival at Mercedes was quite unfortunate. The Grand Prix winner joined the Silver Arrows just as they began to lose their grip at the top of Formula 1.

For some, the prospect of facing Max Verstappen as a teammate would be another slice of misfortune. However, the 26-year-old sees things differently:

“Yeah, I’d be all for it, to be honest. I think coming into Mercedes in 2022 was off the back of Lewis’ legendary years and victories. 

“And that was a huge task for anybody, jumping into a team where he’s been for so long. And you need to go against the best, in the same machinery, and show what you’ve got. 

“I feel that having Lewis as my teammate for the last three years, he’s been a hell of a teammate, such a great driver. We push each other, every single week. It’s fair to say that.

“I would welcome Max. I want to go against the best – everybody wants to prove what they’ve got. So, yeah, make it happen.”

Such a mentality is common among F1 drivers, particularly those striving to reach great heights. For Russell, going against Lewis Hamilton will take away any nervousness about the prospect of partnering with anyone else.

Considering that Verstappen and Antonelli are seen as favourites to join the Silver Arrows in 2025, the next few years will be a challenge for George Russell. That said, he is clearly eager to prove himself and cement his position within the team.