Last weekend, Red Bull’s horror show in Bahrain reignited rumors of a potential Max Verstappen exit, with Mercedes once again emerging as the frontrunners to secure his signature. The link remains strong, even with reports suggesting that George Russell is expected to sign a contract extension in the coming months.
Verstappen had been voicing concerns about Red Bull’s mechanical package for months leading up to the Sakhir race. But it was the visible struggles with grip and handling in the Bahrain desert that truly raised alarm bells within the team and across the F1 community. Some even went as far as urging Red Bull to ‘free him’.
Chief advisor Helmut Marko also admitted in an interview with Sky Germany that the “concern is great” over Verstappen potentially leaving the team after this season because of their failure to produce a championship-level car.
Meanwhile, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has never hidden his interest in signing Verstappen—and with that possibility growing stronger, the pressure is mounting on Russell. Many experts believe he would be the most likely to make way should the Silver Arrows pursue the four-time world champion.
That said, judging by the way Russell has been performing this season—with three podiums already to his name in the first four races—journalist Sam Coop believes the Briton won’t go down without a fight.
“If Max Verstappen is a real possibility to Mercedes, George Russell is not going to go easily,” Coop said on the Racing News 365 podcast. “He is going to go down swinging“.
P2 in Bahrain!!
Great work team, really great weekend!! Congrats to Oscar and Lando on the podium pic.twitter.com/AlAQUdDo28
— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63) April 13, 2025
Wolff’s desire to get Verstappen on board cannot be denied. But this year, he’s spoken highly of his lineup consisting of Russell and Kimi Antonelli. It’s not something he’s looking to change, which is why it’s rumored that Russell is close to signing a $30 million extension with the Silver Arrows.
GR63 rounds up 63 points from just four rounds
George Russell has finished in the top five in every Grand Prix of 2025 so far #F1 @GeorgeRussell63 pic.twitter.com/kYK6SZHD4P
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 14, 2025
Coop also believes that if Russell continues performing at the level he has over the first four races of the season, Mercedes will have little reason to pursue Verstappen. With Russell being part of the team since 2022, Mercedes already know what to expect from him.
As for Verstappen, Coop points out that any team looking to sign him risks disrupting internal dynamics, as the Dutchman is known to be quite “forthright”—a trait that not everyone may appreciate. Given that Mercedes appear to have good chemistry after bringing in Antonelli this year, Coop sees no real reason for them to shake things up.
Another factor Mercedes must consider is that they’ve likely already started work on their 2026 car with Russell’s input. Signing Verstappen now would bring uncertainty, as there’s no guarantee the 27-year-old would be comfortable with the car’s handling or able to extract the desired performance from it.
