Max Verstappen Doesn’t Worry George Russell
There’s been a lot of talk about Max Verstappen’s future for a long time. On one hand, there’s his massive contract with Red Bull until the end of 2028, but on the other hand, there are rumors of an early departure that could see him driving for Aston Martin and speculations about Toto Wolff’s (never-suppressed) interest in bringing the four-time world champion to Mercedes. However, George Russell isn’t worried about being replaced by the Dutch ace, with whom his relationship has been quite tense since the altercation at the recent Qatar Grand Prix.
George Russell Speaks
“I don’t think there’s any particular pressure on me,” explained the 27-year-old British driver in an exclusive interview with Andrew Benson for BBC Sport. “I’m being asked to continue doing what I’ve been doing my whole career. So this year, nothing changes, and (the market with potential options for the future) is not something I’m really thinking about. I trust myself 100%, and it’s very simple… If you perform well on track and get the results, then everyone will always be there for you. I want to compete against the strongest, and I don’t feel like my abilities are in question.” – the Mercedes driver pointed out.
George Russell then spoke more specifically about the matter – which has sparked much discussion in the Formula 1 paddock but is clearly not yet settled – with Max Verstappen: “I wasn’t planning to stand by and let myself be bullied. It seems like people always back off when they’re facing him, but that’s not how I’m used to behaving. I’m not here to be the best friend of a world champion; I’m here to win. And that’s his mentality as well. There’s no love lost that needs to be recovered. I’ve never been afraid to race against Max. I’ve always fought openly with him.” – the Briton concluded.
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