Ever since Lewis Hamilton announced his Ferrari move, Mercedes has treated George Russell as their lead driver. Even the latest upgrade package was first given to Russell in Monaco and later to Hamilton in Canada. Yet, Ralf Schumacher suggests that Russell’s place in Mercedes might be at risk, courtesy of Max Verstappen.
“If Max Verstappen really decides to leave Red Bull, I can imagine that there will be a seat for him at Mercedes. Then it could be rather bad for George Russell”, claimed Ralf Schumacher, according to PlanetF1. The former German driver added,
“If a World Champion is then on the market, I can imagine that George Russell’s job could also be in jeopardy.”
Mercedes missed a potential win in Canada due to mistakes.
– George Russell admitted to making costly errors, benefiting competitors.
– Despite these errors, the team secured a third-place finish, marking progress.
– Complaining about a third-place finish indicates significant… pic.twitter.com/R5AGJ4RqQy
— This is Formula 1 (@ThisIsFormu1a1) June 11, 2024
Toto Wolff still regrets not signing Verstappen when the Dutchman first appeared on the F1 scene in the mid-2010s. The Mercedes Team Principal has been all hands on deck in trying to sign Verstappen as Hamilton’s replacement now.
Rumors suggested that Wolff had a meeting with Jos Verstappen and Max Verstappen after the Miami GP. Hence, it seems that there is no way Wolff will let Max Verstappen go to another team if he’s on the market.
Meanwhile, Kimi Antonelli is being referred to as the next Max Verstappen. The Italian has impressed many with his recent F2 performances.
Moreover, Antonelli has also tested with Mercedes on a couple of occasions, most recently in Imola. It is believed that the Mercedes prospect put a respectable lap time on the board. Therefore, it seems that Antonelli is definitely an investment for the future and Wolff wouldn’t want the Italian sensation to sign elsewhere.
This is another reason why Russell’s spot in Mercedes is in jeopardy. Although many consider the Briton to be World Championship material, he’s not Max Verstappen.
At the 2023 Singapore GP and this year’s Canadian GP, Russell was in a fantastic position to win the race. However, he lost the chance at victory due to unforced errors.
Max Verstappen, on the other hand, is more often than not clinical and wins the races even when the odds are not in his favor. However, it is difficult to see why the Dutchman will leave Red Bull.
Max Verstappen plans to stay at Red Bull despite the Mercedes rumors
A few weeks ago, when the Verstappen to Mercedes rumors were at their peak, the Dutchman spoke on the same. He suggested that the money doesn’t matter to him.
The only thing he cares about is having a fast car, and Red Bull is the one providing that to him at the moment. Toto Wolff has himself spoken about the fact that Mercedes doesn’t have a fast enough car to lure Verstappen to their team.
Although there is a clause in Verstappen’s contract that allows him to move teams if Helmut Marko moves away from Red Bull, it looks unlikely that his long-term contract will be cut short. Another reason why Verstappen may consider staying at Red Bull is the extension of Sergio Perez’s contract.
Although the Mexican hasn’t been performing anywhere near Red Bull’s standards, he does bring in loads of sponsorship money that reportedly funds Verstappen’s mega salary. Damon Hill also believes that having Perez around gives Verstappen the surety of a stable future at Red Bull.
