George Russell hails ‘rare’ Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen feat as he weighs up Mercedes future

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George Russell has highlighted the “rare” feat accomplished by Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen during their intense 2021 F1 title fight, whilst issuing a verdict on his own Formula 1 title hopes in the future.

Russell is now in his seventh season as a full-time F1 driver, cementing himself as one of the best drivers on the grid through performances that often outclass the tools he has at his disposal.

With eight podiums to his name in 2025, one of those being a Grand Prix victory in Canada, it’s clear that Russell is the man to lead the Silver Arrows into F1’s new era of regulations in 2026.

However, his seat at Mercedes for next season is yet to be confirmed amid negotiations that have been ongoing for multiple months now.

Russell is considering hiring an independent manager to take care of the matter, given that his current manager, Toto Wolff, presents a conflict of interest between the two parties.

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George Russell highlights how ‘rare’ it is for two teams to fight for an F1 championship in verdict on future title hopes

Now in his fourth season at the works Mercedes team, Russell is yet to fight for an F1 title after joining the team after Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen’s dramatic war in 2021.

In an interview with The Straits Times ahead of the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix, Russell touched upon his future hopes, whilst highlighting how uncommon it was for a battle like 2021 to be replicated.

“I feel ready to fight for a world championship. I felt ready for a long time. But there can only ever be one driver and one team,” Russell told journalists.

“It’s very rare you see two drivers from two different teams fighting for a championship, but you should never lose hope. And I’m 27 years old, I’m fighting every single day because I don’t know when my chance will come.

“Maybe it starts from this weekend in Singapore, maybe it’s 2026, maybe it’s 2028. But I have no doubt my time will come.”

Russell previously compared himself to Michael Schumacher at Ferrari regarding his current position at Mercedes.

The seven-time world champion had to wait until his fifth season to bring the Scuderia glory, something that the Brit is hoping to replicate next season.

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George Russell and Mercedes are “all in” for the upcoming 2026 F1 season

With the arrival of the new regulations next season, every team on the grid will restart with a brand new car in line with the FIA’s new ruleset.

Engines are being overhauled for the first time since the start of the turbo hybrid era in 2014, and a ruleset that was dominated by the Silver Arrows thanks to their efforts with the new power units.

Russell also touched upon the “huge” opportunity that the new regulations bring in his chat with The Straits Times, revealing how much time he is putting in behind the scenes in order for the Silver Arrows to return to their pedestal at the top of the grid.

“Even just yesterday, I was driving the simulator with the 2026 car and the 2026 engine,” Russell said. “It’s a huge opportunity for us as Mercedes, every team.

“It’s a huge opportunity. We recognise we cannot win the championship this season. We’re of course, fighting to finish second, and that is our objective. But the truth is, we want to be all in for 2026, and that’s what we’re aiming to do.”

Despite Wolff playing down talk of Mercedes’ engine superiority for next season, it’s widely believed in the F1 paddock that the German constructor will replicate their efforts ahead of the 2014 rule change that saw them go on to win eight consecutive constructors’ championships.