Mercedes is at the moment searching for a alternative for Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton, who will depart the Brackley-based squad on the finish of the season to affix the Maranello workforce in 2025.
Crew boss Toto Wolff has overtly admitted that he would need to have Verstappen however his feedback drew criticism from Red Bull managing director Oliver Mintzlaff, who mentioned Wolff’s public flirting with Verstappen confirmed an absence of respect.
Verstappen signed a contract in 2022 to remain at Crimson Bull till the top of 2028 however hypothesis about his future has been rife amid the interior points the Milton Keynes workforce has confronted this yr, together with Adrian Newey’s resolution to go away in 2025.
Though an early transfer to Mercedes for Verstappen seems unlikely, Russell says he would welcome the problem of getting the three-time world champion racing alongside him.
“I would be all for it,” Russell mentioned. “, coming into Mercedes in 2022 off the again of Lewis’s legendary years and victories, that was an enormous job for anyone leaping right into a workforce the place he is been for therefore lengthy.
“I consider in myself, and you’ll want to go up in opposition to the very best in the identical equipment and present what you’ve got, so I really feel that having Lewis as my team-mate for the previous three years… He is been a hell of a team-mate, such a fantastic driver.
“And we push one another each single week and I feel it is honest to say that, so I’ll welcome Max, I need to go up in opposition to the very best. Everyone desires to show what they have, so make it occur.”
Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Addressing the impression of Newey’s departure from Crimson Bull, Russell added: “He is anyone who I respect. He’s a legend in his personal proper with all the pieces that he is achieved within the sport.
“, it does not change our life – until there is a secret and he’s coming to Mercedes, who is aware of?
“So, I feel it was nice seeing quite a lot of loyalty for a very long time with him being on the workforce for 20 years. Lewis has been with Mercedes for 12 years.
“Typically individuals want to alter, a change is a contemporary begin for each events and it is going to be fascinating to see what occurs subsequent.”