George Russell explains why a Verstappen partnership would fail

Russell had a much stronger season than rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli, finishing with 319 points to Antonelli’s 150. Still, Mercedes are convinced the young driver has star potential and weren’t ready to move on from him.

More importantly, Russell’s previous tension with Verstappen likely played a role in the team’s decision. The two clashed in late 2024 following an incident in Qatar, which only added to their history of disagreements.

Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport, Russell dismissed any concerns about his position at Mercedes. While things between him and Verstappen have cooled slightly since then, he made it clear that “a confrontation is inevitable” if they ever end up paired together.

The team dynamic with Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas between 2017 and 2021 was ideal according to Russell. Hamilton was clearly the top driver, with Bottas providing strong support without causing internal issues.

“I was never worried about losing my seat,” Russell said. “As a team, you want the best possible driver pairing available on the market. Verstappen is currently the best driver on the grid.”

“No matter where you put the two best together, a confrontation is inevitable sooner or later,” he added. “But a team like Mercedes had with Lewis and Valtteri – that’s perfect.”

Russell feels he can only gain from Verstappen duel

Verstappen is expected to evaluate Red Bull’s form under the new regulations before deciding whether to stay put or explore other options.

While his contract does run through 2028, there’s once again a break clause written in for this year. The specific terms reportedly require Verstappen to be sitting in the top two of the drivers’ standings at a certain point in the season – something that could prove challenging for Red Bull depending on how things play out.

Russell, speaking hypothetically about sharing a garage with Verstappen, suggested it would be an awkward position for Verstappen. As he sees it, Verstappen would be under immense pressure to win and nothing less would satisfy expectations.

On top of that, Antonelli already has a strong relationship with Verstappen, who has played a mentor role at times. That connection could influence Wolff’s decision down the line.