Max Verstappen has been dominating the world of Formula 1 since 2022. The rumors surrounding Verstappen’s potential 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 grow in number. However, Mercedes driver, Lewis Hamilton, has expressed his willingness to have Verstappen as his teammate.
Hamilton is set to join Ferrari in 2025, making this season his last with Mercedes. As a result, there have been numerous names linked to the vacant Mercedes seat. One of the leading contenders is their junior driver, George Russell. Amidst the excitement surrounding Verstappen’s potential move, Russell surprisingly welcomes the idea. In a recent media interaction, Russell expressed 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 push each other during race weekends. To fill the void left by Hamilton, Russell believes that the best option is to bring in Verstappen, and he is ready to face the challenge of competing against him at Mercedes.
Another significant development in the Formula 1 world is the departure of Red Bull Racing’s technical chief officer. The official statement confirmed that Adrian Newey will be focusing on the development of Red Bull’s first-ever hypercar, the RB17, and stepping back 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 onwards would greatly benefit Mercedes. The team has been struggling 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.