George Russell shares why Max Verstappen made him ‘nervous’ after brilliant Singapore Grand Prix win

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George Russell controlled the field to claim victory over Max Verstappen at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Russell set a record-breaking pole lap to beat Verstappen to the front of the grid in qualifying. Mercedes looked to have the pace to contend at the front, with Kimi Antonelli lining up fourth behind Lando Norris.

Interestingly, Toto Woff was not ‘as excited’ about Russell’s pole. Nevertheless, the Brit set the pace on Saturday, and he kept that up on Sunday.

The Brit commanded the Singapore Grand Prix, only briefly losing his lead to Lando Norris after he came in to pit. Russell regained his advantage after the McLaren driver came in and soared to his first podium and win around the Marina Bay Circuit.

George Russell says Max Verstappen made him ‘nervous’ on the soft tyre at the start of the Singapore Grand Prix

Russell opted to start the race on the medium compound tyre, but Verstappen decided to start on the softs to gain an early advantage. Speakig after the race, he admitted that his rival’s strategy had him ‘nervous’.

He told Jenson Button via Sky Sports F1: “It feels amazing, especially after what happened a couple of years ago. That was a bit of a missed opportunity, but we more than made up for it today.

“Just so grateful for the team. They did an amazing job this weekend. We don’t really know where this performance came from, but really, really happy.

“Friday was a really tough day for me for many different reasons and I wasn’t feeling comfortable, but by the time I got to Q3, I felt great in the car and that’s when it matters.

“I was a bit nervous at the beginning when I saw Max on the soft, but that first stint was great from us and extended the gap.”

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George Russell just applied more pressure on Toto Wolff to give him a new Mercedes contract

Russell’s second win of the 2025 campaign cements him as one of the strongest drivers on the grid. Button thinks no driver is doing better than Russell this season as he sits fourth in the standings.

As of the Singapore GP, Russell is yet to sign a new contract beyond 2025. The Brit has been applying pressure on Wolff to give him a long-term deal, but the threat of Verstappen joining Verstappen still hangs over him.

Russell is considering changing his management amid his contract negotiations. He hopes it will give him an advantage as he expresses discontent over how long it has taken for him to be offered fresh terms.

Russell wants equal terms with Norris’ McLaren contract at Mercedes, seeing himself as one of the hottest talents on the F1 driver market. The Silver Arrows will need to act fast before rival teams start to express an interest.