In the Bahrain Grand Prix, in the qualifying parc ferme, Max Verstappen, the current pole position, was accompanied by Charles Leclerc and George Russell. Russell, who has been Lewis Hamilton’s teammate at Mercedes since 2022, praised Verstappen as the best Formula 1 driver and expressed his openness to having Verstappen at Mercedes in 2025. Although Verstappen is currently under contract with Red Bull until 2028, tensions have arisen within the team following an investigation into allegations against team principal Christian Horner. Speculations have emerged that Verstappen may seek an exit from Red Bull to replace Hamilton at Mercedes. Russell believes that Mercedes would be interested in hiring Verstappen, but acknowledges that the possibility depends on the dynamics between Verstappen and Red Bull. Russell, who outperformed Hamilton in his debut season at Mercedes, believes his performance alongside Hamilton proves his ability to compete on equal terms with Verstappen. He welcomes the challenge of facing the best drivers and remains focused on his own skills.
