Why is Red Bull's failure a growing threat to George Russell's Mercedes future? - Explained

The Red Bull Racing team is facing issues with pace and balance in its RB21 car, and even Max Verstappen is struggling to go fast during the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix. McLaren sees no threat from the grid as they are winning every race at ease. 

Red Bull’s underperformance is a massive threat to the Mercedes driver George Russell, who is doing exceptionally well for his team. Yes! It's happening silently behind all our backs. If Red Bull fails to give Max a championship-winning car this year, we won't see the Dutchman drive a Red Bull next year.

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How does Red Bull's failure affect George Russell's future?

RB21 is full of issues

Max Verstappen already knows the Red Bull car has many issues. He was fed up during the Bahrain Grand prix, where he said it had no pace and balance. He also claimed that it is not a championship-winning car, and his manager was seen in a heated argument with Red Bull boss Helmut Marko after the race. 

Future of Verstappen

Max Verstappen's Red Bull contract runs through the 2028 season, but he can exit early through certain clauses. One key clause requires the Austrian team to provide him with a championship-contender. Since that’s no longer the case, Verstappen may now consider his future with other teams.

Potential options for Verstappen

Many experts believe that Max will be moving to Mercedes or Aston Martin after the 2026 season. Aston Martin will have well-known faces like Honda and Adrian Newey. At the same time, many predict Mercedes will have the strongest power unit after the new F1 regulations. So, if he decides to go to the winning team, it will be Mercedes.

A threat to George Russell

George Russell hasn't signed any contract renewal with Mercedes. If Verstappen sees that there is no sign of a fifth championship, then he will consider his future options. If he agrees to move to Mercedes, then he will aim for George's seat. Other than George, they have young Kimi, who is seen as the future world champion. 

At the same time, Toto Wolff doesn't want to miss the second chance of signing Max, as he previously missed it during the 2014 season. Max Verstappen will be the perfect replacement for Russell, and Mercedes has to make the hard choice of saying goodbye to Russell.

Is Russell’s career over?

The answer to this is a big 'No'. A world-class F1 driver like George Russell should never be out of F1 unless he decides to leave. Many teams will be fighting for George, as he is the most consistent driver in recent times. One possibility is Red Bull signing Russell for a huge salary and developing their next car under his guidance. 

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner already showed interest in signing Russell during an interview. He could also be a future Audi driver, as the German brand will be entering F1 with a new chassis and engine, which could also be a championship-winning car. So, Russell does have choices to make, but it should be made quickly.

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