George Russell stated that he would understand a possible departure of Max Verstappen from Formula 1, highlighting that the Dutchman has practically won everything in the category with Red Bull, including four world titles.
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“He has achieved what most drivers dream of, which is winning a championship. He has four of them. There is not much more for him to conquer in Formula 1, he has already fulfilled all the requirements,” he said. “At some point, you want to do what puts a smile on your face, and if driving at Nordschleife… I can totally understand. I would love to have the chance to race there, but my goal is to become Formula 1 world champion.”
Russell also commented on Verstappen’s criticisms of the current cars, stating that this type of reaction depends on the moment each driver is experiencing. “That’s just part of the game in Formula 1. I didn’t like driving the 2022 car […] but he didn’t have the same complaint, because he was winning.”
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Despite that, the Briton emphasized the importance of the rival: “Formula 1 is bigger than any driver. You wouldn’t want to lose Max, because we all enjoy competing against him. You would understand if he stayed and understand if he left,” concluded the Mercedes driver.
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