The future of George Russell and Max Verstappen‘s Formula 1 seats is far from secure and could soon see the two stars competing for the same spot.
Russell’s contract with the Silver Arrows is currently due to expire at the end of the 2025 F1 season. The Briton is set to take over as Mercedes‘ No.1 driver outright this year after Lewis Hamilton‘s move to Ferrari, with Kimi Antonelli signing on as the new No.2 at Brackley.
And Jos Verstappen has poured fresh fuel on the fire of speculation concerning his son’s future at Red Bull after growing disillusioned with their performance in 2024. Verstappen persevered through a disappointing second half of the season to win a fourth straight world championship, but father Jos once again hinted at an exit amid speculation he could join Mercedes.
“Red Bull needs to build a car that is no longer so difficult to drive,” he said during an interview with Münchner Merkur/tz media group. “If you look at the second half of 2024, you cannot be optimistic.
“Anything is possible. He can stay at Red Bull if he sees the point. His goal is to be able to win races. If he feels this is no longer possible at Red Bull, a switch is not out of the question.”
Verstappen Jr remains contracted to Red Bull until 2028, but there have been rumours he could exit that deal early – or retire altogether. It’s widely known Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is a fan of the Dutchman, who could replace Russell if a move to Mercedes was possible this time next year.
Addressing the subject in November, Wolff described Verstappen as a “huge talent” but clarified his team were “building with Kimi and George.” Likewise, Russell said in September he hadn’t discussed his future with Mercedes but commented: “We’ve always said we will be continuing together for the indefinite future.”
He and Verstappen have since come to blows as their rivalry exploded towards the end of this season. Verstappen called Russell two-faced after he complained about the Red Bull star’s driving in a stewards enquiry, after which Russell alleged his rival had threatened to put his “f*****g head in the wall.”
That was some six months after Russell intimated he would happily have Russell as his team-mate at Mercedes. The 26-year-old said in May 2024 that he’d be “all for it” and would welcome Max with open arms in his bid to test himself against F1’s finest – though that stance may have changed since.
Russell and Verstappen wouldn’t be the first team-mates to not get along considering some of the best rivalries in the sport have been born from intra-team feuds. However, Jos’ latest comments and Mercedes’ need to keep finances in control could suggest Russell would be surplus to requirements if a choice had to be made between him and Verstappen.
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