George Russell opens up on Max Verstappen relationship as Mercedes confession made

George Russell opened the door for Mercedes to sign Max Verstappen amid uncertainty over the Red Bull ace’s F1 future and insisted he would have no issue being his team-mate

George Russell declares that he ‘would relish’ the opportunity to go head-to-head with Max Verstappen as his Mercedes team-mate, dismissing any concerns about their heated rivalry and recent public war of words.

Verstappen was strongly tipped for a switch to Mercedes earlier this campaign but decided against risking his long-term Formula One prospects in 2025, ahead of the incoming technical regulation changes. Yet if Red Bull cannot deliver a championship-contending machine next term, the Dutch ace will once again become available.

Mercedes would rank among the frontrunners to land the 27 year old’s services, though Toto Wolff would potentially create a volatile driver partnership between Verstappen and Russell, who clashed publicly during the latter stages of the 2024 season.

However, speaking to The Telegraph, Russell clarified that whilst he and Verstappen are hardly close companions, they maintain a respectful relationship and could work together as colleagues.

“We’re fine,” he revealed. “We just say hello to each other. We don’t really speak. But we don’t ignore each other. I don’t lose sleep over it. And for sure, he doesn’t lose sleep over it. So it doesn’t bother me one single bit.

“Life is short. We’re all adults. We all learn from these experiences. You don’t need to be best mates as team-mates. [Ayrton] Senna and [Alain] Prost weren’t good friends, and they still finished one-two. Lewis [Hamilton] and Nico [Rosberg], one-two.

“Obviously, Lewis and Fernando [Alonso, in 2007] is a notable exception. But Lewis should have won that year. So yeah, Max is an incredible driver. There’s no denying that. But that’s why I would relish going up against him. We all believe we’re the best.

“I don’t see why he wouldn’t. I mean, it’s obviously more of a lose-lose situation for him. The same as when I was team-mates with Lewis. If he beat me, he was expected to. But if he lost to me, yeah, it’s seen as a big loss. Or the same with me and Kimi [Antonelli] now. But I mean, we’re getting well ahead of ourselves here. “.

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In the meantime, Russell and Verstappen are battling it out for the Constructors’ Championship. Mercedes currently lead Red Bull by 10 points in the race for second place with just five races left, while Ferrari are caught in the middle of these two F1 titans.

Of course, Verstappen could stay with Red Bull for the duration of his current contract, which lasts until 2028. Under the guidance of Laurent Mekies, the Milton Keynes team has made significant progress. If they maintain their current momentum, they will be a formidable force when the new regulations take effect next year.