2024 has seen its fair share of bombshells so far. The latest among them is Adrian Newey’s departure. Earlier, Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari move shocked everyone, including Mercedes. The Briton inked a fresh deal just eight months after extending his Mercedes contract. Thus, Toto Wolff, the Mercedes Boss, is looking for a replacement. The Austrian executive has publicly admitted his interest in the reigning world champion, Max Verstappen. Wolff wants Verstappen to drive the Silver Arrows in the upcoming season.
However, if Wolff could lure in the Dutchman, it would be a risk for George Russell’s F1 future. He moved to Petronas AMG in 2022 and has been a powerful performer since day one. Perhaps his run with Mercedes could be jeopardized if Verstappen decides to make a move.
Verstappen-Antonelli Duo: Potential Reason For Mercedes To Overlook Russell
With a major regulation change upcoming, teams want the best driver duo in their outfit. Currently, the Mercedes team is struggling. They’re yet to win a race since 2022. However, their driver, George Russell, has been precise with his skills in steering a doubtful W15. He has been ahead of his teammate Hamilton in every race except for the latest Miami GP. Withal, Russell will have a seat at Mercedes as his contract extends till the end of 2025. He will share a place with Verstappen if the latter decides to leave Red Bull. Further, after 2025, Russell’s place could be under threat.
The reason is Italian racing prodigy Kimi Antonelli. He is Wolff’s protege, and Mercedes has invested in him. Moreover, he could be the key piece in the Brackley-based setup for the coming years. Wolff is determined not to let go of Kimi, as he wants to avoid repeating the mistake of missing out on signing the young Verstappen. The teenage prodigy could make his F1 debut soon, replacing Logan Sargeant at Williams. Thus, once he gains the taste of F1, Mercedes will add him to the squad. Henceforth, these equations could keep Russell in a dilemma. Despite his solid efforts on track, the wow factor is missing. Consequently, Russell could be the victim of F1’s ever-changing nature and might need other options.
Russell Clueless About Reasons For Struggle At Miami
Mercedes entered the Hard Roc stadium with an optimistic upgrade. However, their performance gave the drivers a mixed feeling. The mystery of the W15 project continues, as the car is consistently lagging. The engineers are trying their best to solve the puzzle but are yet to overcome the aerodynamic horrors.
On questions about his failure at Miami, Russell was rather clueless. While Hamilton finished 16 seconds behind Lando Norris, Russell trailed 34 seconds. Moreover, he had no idea about the ongoing issues with the W15 car. However, he is confident for the upcoming weekends. Hence, his quest to secure a seat at Mercedes promises to be an intriguing journey.
