Russell as Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull? Here's what Max thinks!

George Russell at Red Bull Racing as Max Verstappen's teammate? Formula 1 enthusiasts's mouths would water at the thought of these two rivals on the same team. And yes, for now, these are reportedly preliminary discussions that Russell has had with Christian Horner, the team principal of the Austrian outfit. But the idea of Russell and Verstappen forming a duo is certainly not far-fetched.

Russell is on an expiring contract with Mercedes, and reportedly, a new deal with Toto Wolff's team is his primary option. Therefore, it's most likely that Russell would only move to another team - such as Red Bull - if Mercedes opts for a different driver, for example, if Max Verstappen becomes available.

At the moment, there's no indication of this happening. But it's very possible that Wolff would prefer to wait. If Russell doesn't want to wait for a decision from Mercedes, with the risk of being left out, the Brit could opt for certainty elsewhere. For example, at Red Bull, who might want to preempt a possible Verstappen exit. And if Verstappen 'simply' serves out his contract until 2028, Red Bull would have a remarkably strong duo for the new era in F1.

It's often suggested that Verstappen has a say in the choice of his teammate at Red Bull. The demotion of Liam Lawson to Racing Bulls, against Verstappen's wishes, earlier this season was proof that this isn't the case. Verstappen also wouldn't oppose Russell's arrival.

GPblog has learned that Verstappen is completely unconcerned about the scenario of Russell becoming his teammate at Red Bull. The Dutchman knows he's the best driver on the grid and he - as he has done with previous teammates - will significantly outperform Russell, just as Verstappen demotes a teammate to a supporting role every year.