Max Verstappen has been dominating the world of Formula 1 since 2022. Rumors surrounding Verstappen’s possible move to Mercedes continue to gain momentum. These speculations have been circulating since the beginning of the season and, despite Verstappen addressing them, they continue to increase in number. However, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has expressed his desire to have Verstappen as his teammate.
Hamilton is set to join Ferrari in 2025, making this season his last with Mercedes. As a result, several names have been linked to the vacant Mercedes seat. One of the top contenders is their junior driver, George Russell. Amidst the excitement surrounding Verstappen’s potential transfer, Russell surprisingly welcomes the idea. In a recent interaction with the media, Russell shared his thoughts on the matter.
Russell acknowledged the privilege of being Hamilton’s teammate for the past three years. He praised the seven-time world champion as an exceptional driver and highlighted how they constantly challenge each other during race weekends. To fill the void left by Hamilton, Russell believes the best option is to bring in Verstappen, and he is ready to take on the challenge of competing against him at Mercedes.
Another significant development in the world of Formula 1 is the departure of Red Bull Racing’s technical director. The official statement confirmed that Adrian Newey will be focusing on the development of Red Bull’s first hypercar, the RB17, and stepping away from his F1 responsibilities. However, there is still a possibility of Newey joining another team, potentially Mercedes, and Russell fully supports this idea.
Russell believes that securing Newey’s services from 2025 would be of great benefit to Mercedes. The team has been facing difficulties with their cars since 2022, and Newey is renowned for his expertise in developing dominant challengers. The competition to acquire Newey’s talents is expected to intensify in the coming months.