Toto Wolff “wouldn’t think twice about replacing” George Russell
George Russell warned about "cut-throat nature of F1"
Toto Wolff would replace George Russell at Mercedes if he can sign Max Verstappen, it has been claimed.
Russell is reportedly on the verge of a big contract extension with Mercedes with a bumper new salary, because his current deal expires this year.
However, even that might not be enough to secure his future at Mercedes if Verstappen becomes available, he has been warned.
Russell drove admirably to second-place at last weekend’s F1 Bahrain Grand Prix despite a brake problem which left him unaware of how much control he had at each turn.
He sits fourth in the F1 standings but could become the victim if Verstappen decides he wants to quit Red Bull.
“George is doing what Mercedes would expect him to do,” Ted Kravitz told the Sky F1 podcast.
“Will that have an affect on whether Mercedes keep him, or have a question about accepting Max Verstappen into their team?
“Toto will, in all likelihood if he gets the opportunity, sign Verstappen up for the future.
“Such is the unrelenting cut-throat nature of F1, I don’t think he’d think twice about replacing Russell.
“Or Kimi Antonelli, he might farm Antonelli out. You never know.”
Aston Martin 'easier culturally' for Max Verstappen
Red Bull’s uncompetitive RB21 has left Verstappen behind McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the drivers’ championship.
Helmut Marko has expressed his fear that Red Bull’s inability to deliver a winning car could cost them their star driver.
His options are likely to be Mercedes and Aston Martin, who have already hired car design genius Adrian Newey from Red Bull.
“There is a burden of history which might make the Max to Mercedes link less likely than Max to Aston Martin,” Kravitz considered.
“I know a lot of water is under the bridge since 2021 - I’m not talking about Abu Dhabi, I’m talking about the intense nature of the fight between Mercedes and Red Bull.
“The Silverstone accident where Max, his manager and his dad were furious with Toto for celebrating, I quote, ‘like he’d won the world championship’ without a thought for Max’s wellbeing.
“I know there is a lot of water under the bridge since then.
“But I feel that it would be easier culturally - in terms of Max’s affinity with Adrian Newey - to go to Aston Martin, rather than Mercedes.
“I see that happening more.”
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
