George Russell addresses possibility of teaming up with Max Verstappen

Verstappen and Russell at Mercedes — Photo: © IMAGO

George Russell

George Russell addresses possibility of teaming up with Max Verstappen

A classic enemies to team-mates trope

By Sheona Mountford.

Saturday 27 December 2025 17:00

George Russell has made it clear he would not shy away from lining up alongside four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen as a team-mate.

At a time when much of the grid is characterised by mutual respect and off-track friendships, the tension between Russell and Verstappen has stood out, providing a rare source of genuine rivalry that has caught the attention of fans craving on-track drama.

That animosity boiled over at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix, where sharp accusations — including claims of being “two-faced” — were exchanged. The dispute resurfaced later in Barcelona, when Verstappen was involved in a controversial collision with Russell that reignited the feud.

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Coupled with Toto Wolff actively pursuing Verstappen for a seat at Mercedes, the rivalry between the Brit and the Dutchman, although dormant, always feels as if it could bubble over.

Russell wants to fight alongside Verstappen

“Definitely my most solid in terms of performance – most consistent, least mistakes. So yeah, on the whole, it has been," he said.

“I definitely know I can – I can mix it with those guys at the top. Max [Verstappen] is obviously the gold standard at the moment. He's the one that I'd want to go head to head with, and I think he's the only one that people would question. He's the only driver on the grid that you'd want to be team-mates with to see your competitiveness with.”

If Mercedes do emerge as a competitive force in 2026, and Red Bull slip down the order, then Russell and Verstappen could very much still find themselves as team-mates for 2027.

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Mercedes George Russell