Russell 'Not Safe' In Mercedes Amid Possibility Of Verstappen Replacement Says Rosberg

Saturday, 07 September 2024 at 12:32

Nico Rosberg said George Russell will not be safe in Mercedes as Max Verstappen might be looking for a team in 2025.

George Russell's current contract with Mercedes is valid until the end of the 2025 season. With Toto Wolff claiming he's "the future of Mercedes," he should easily secure another contract with the German team, right?

Former F1 driver and 2016 Champion Nico Rosberg doesn't see it that way. He thinks the 26-year-old might have a problem if Max Verstappen decides to leave Red Bull after the next (2025) season.

From what Helmut Marko said in an interview with OE24, it seems Red Bull doesn't have the triple World Champion locked after 2025, so he might be free to walk away.

Mercedes's team principal expressed strong interest in Verstappen this year, and although the Dutchman won't be joining Mercedes now, Toto Wolff said he keeps the communication channel open with him.

On the contrary, Wolff also stated: "We very much hope that the 2025 line-up will be the line-up going forward." Rosberg still believes that if Verstappen becomes available, he might be prioritized over one of the two Mercedes drivers. He told Sky F1:

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"George Russell is not safe at all because Toto still wants Max and he will try again for 2026 because 'give up' does not appear in Toto's vocabulary."

"If Max does become available – and I do think it's a possibility – then it is a shootout between George and Kimi next year. And it's a lot of pressure on George because he has everything to lose, really, next year."

Kimi Antonelli, who was confirmed as Mercedes's 2025 F1 driver during the Italian Grand Prix last weekend, is only 18, and it seems Wolff has a long-term plan for him.

Antonelli is in a win-win situation where he doesn't really need to beat Russell, as the 26-year-old should be faster with all his experience, and if he does manage to beat him, it's a sensation. It is Russell who will be under bigger pressure as he now has to deliver. Rosberg added:

"He [Russell] should be the one ahead internally, because Kimi is 18 and he's completely new and in a full-pressure situation. It's not an easy situation there for George."