Why George Russell believes he can replicate Ferrari-era Michael Schumacher if he stays at Mercedes

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George Russell believes that he can still replicate Michael Schumacher’s success at Ferrari with Mercedes in the upcoming F1 seasons.

George Russell currently sits fourth in the 2025 drivers’ championship, behind Max Verstappen and the McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. He is the only driver, bar the ones above him, to win a Grand Prix so far this season, fending off Verstappen to take the chequered flag in Montreal.

He is still without a confirmed drive at the team for next season, though, and Toto Wolff hasn’t seen ‘enough’ results from Russell this season to offer him an extension just yet.

Speaking to L’Equipe before the Belgian Grand Prix, Russell referenced the similarities between his current results at Mercedes and Michael Schumacher‘s early years at Ferrari as something that keeps his dream of winning a world title alive.

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George Russell is keeping the ‘faith’ that he can win a world championship at Mercedes

“I thought my opportunity would come, and I still believe it,” the Brit said. “Of course, it’s been four years and we haven’t won, but Michael Schumacher drove for five years at Ferrari before winning his first championship with them.

“He was 31 when he won his first title with Ferrari, and nobody remembers Michael’s unsuccessful years at Ferrari. Everyone only remembers the dominant years. That’s why I try to keep the faith.”

Schumacher won his first drivers’ championship with Ferrari in 2000, a year after he first brought success to the team by beating McLaren to the constructors’ title with the help of teammate Eddie Irvine.

The German was unable to put up a proper fight in the championship in 1999 after he broke his leg during the British Grand Prix. Kimi Raikkonen is the only Ferrari driver since Schumacher to win a title for the Prancing Horse, with Lewis Hamilton stating that he doesn’t want to be added to the list of Ferrari failures from the ensuing years.

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Is Toto Wolff expecting too much from George Russell in Mercedes’ current F1 car?

Despite being left in a contract limbo with the team that also manages Russell, the 27-year-old is currently enjoying his best season with the German constructor since he took Valtteri Bottas’s seat at the start of the 2022 season.

He is currently sitting on 147 points so far this year with 12 rounds gone. His previous best points total after 12 rounds came during his first season with Mercedes, where he scored 143 points over the same number of rounds.

It’s hard to tell what Russell needs to do for Toto Wolff to confirm his future at the team. McLaren’s superiority this season has meant that Piastri and Norris have won nine Grands Prix between them, with Verstappen taking the other two wins of the season.

The Dutchman’s links to Mercedes do have something to do with Russell’s lack of an extension, however. Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kallenius is very keen on signing Verstappen, with it being reported that he may even go over Wolff’s head to sign the four-time world champion himself.

Wolff addressed the rumours surrounding a potential seat for Verstappen before in the days leading up to the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, stating that Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli remain his top priority. The earliest we may see Verstappen in a Silver Arrow would be 2027.