George Russell pointed out that Max Verstappen never voiced the same grievances about the latest generation of Formula 1 machinery that many of his rivals have, because "he was winning". Still, Russell admitted that he could "understand" if the four‑time world champion ever decided to walk away from the sport.
Verstappen's future beyond the current season remains a subject of intense speculation. The Red Bull driver has been one of the loudest critics of the new 2026 technical regulations, particularly the 50‑50 split between internal‑combustion power and electric energy, and he has repeatedly questioned how the hybrid formula has altered the feel of the car at the limit. After the Japanese Grand Prix last month, the Dutchman hinted more strongly than ever that he might be contemplating retirement after this year.
During a Mercedes media day held during Formula 1's five‑week hiatus, ahead of the Miami Grand Prix on May 1‑3, Russell was asked whether he thought Verstappen's departure was likely and how the sport would cope if the reigning champion walked away. "Formula 1 is bigger than any driver," Russell replied.
"You wouldn't want to lose Max because we all enjoy racing against Max." He went on to compare the two eras of cars. "I didn't enjoy driving the 2022 car when it was porpoising up and down, killing everybody's backs.
The car was big, it was heavy, the high‑speed corners were brutal, and it wasn't very pleasant to drive around, but he didn't have the same complaint because he was winning," Russell said. Russell noted that Verstappen's current complaints differ from those of Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren. "We are at the front end of the grid now, so it's natural that his frustrations are different.
He has achieved what most drivers only dream of – four world championships. At the end of the day, there isn’t much left to achieve in Formula 1 for him. He’s ticked all the boxes; maybe he will chase records instead," the Brit added. The conversation then turned to Verstappen's recent forays into GT‑3 endurance racing at the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife.
Russell, who is still hunting his maiden drivers' title with Mercedes, said he can "totally understand" why Verstappen is enjoying the Nordschleife experience. "Knowing him as I do, and knowing drivers who have already won everything they wanted, at some point you want to do what puts a smile on your face," he explained.
He continued, "I have driven hundreds of laps around the Nordschleife on the simulator and would love the chance to race there for real. But my goal right now is to become a Formula 1 world champion.
If I had four titles under my belt, I’d probably be doing the same thing Verstappen is doing now. He’s in a very different stage of his career. I think you’d understand if he stayed, and you’d also understand if he left." Verstappen himself, after the Suzuka race, said he can "easily accept being in P7 or P8 where I am," but added that "when you are in P7 or P8 and you are not enjoying the whole formula behind it, it doesn't feel natural to a racing driver." This comment underlines his growing disenchantment with the current package, even though he remains competitively placed. While Red Bull appear unlikely to challenge for the championship this year, Mercedes have solidified their status as pre‑season favourites by winning the first three Grands Prix of the new regulation era.
The mandatory April break gave all teams a chance to return to their factories and work on the cars. Russell, who lost the lead in the drivers' standings to his teammate Kimi Antonelli in Japan, does not expect a dramatic reshuffle when the series resumes in Miami, but he acknowledges that Mercedes' early‑season advantage cannot last forever with nineteen races still to run. Reflecting on the opening rounds, where Mercedes claimed one victory and Antonelli two, Russell said, "We definitely hit the ground running in the first three races, and you could see that with the power‑unit manufacturers – at least us and Ferrari – we as a factory team have a better understanding of energy management compared to the customer teams.
That's only fair because we have hundreds of people working on it, and we have been developing the simulator for three years now." He added, "Naturally, the major differences we saw in Melbourne have already narrowed, and everyone will continue to improve race by race. The field will slowly bunch up, but I don't think you'll see any drastic changes overnight. However, I don't expect our pace advantage to continue indefinitely; the others will be hot on our heels." At the moment Antonelli leads Russell by nine points at the top of the drivers' championship, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc 23 points further back in third. The Miami Grand Prix, which also hosts the season's second Sprint weekend, will be the next test of whether Mercedes can maintain its early dominance or if the rest of the grid will start to close the gap.
Beyond the immediate championship battle, the broader question remains: what will Verstappen do when he has already collected four titles? Russell's remarks suggest that retirement, a shift to endurance racing, or a focus on record‑breaking pursuits are all plausible pathways. As the sport evolves with new hybrid regulations and an increasingly competitive field, the decisions of its biggest star will shape the narrative of Formula 1 for years to come.