George Russell is currently conducting a fierce media offensive against Max Verstappen and Red Bull. The British driver is showing no shyness about criticising Red Bull’s internal situation.
Russell calls out Christian Horner and Red Bull instability
It is no secret that Red Bull have experienced plenty of turbulence away from the track this year.
Prior to the season opener in Bahrain, controversy surrounding Christian Horner kick-started an internal power struggle.
Jos Verstappen (Max’s father) was among those calling for Horner to step down.
Although the situation at Red Bull is calmer, George Russell says there are still issues at Milton Keynes.
Russell claims that Verstappen alienated his own engineers earlier in the year, leading to several rivals receiving CVs from the Red Bull camp.
Russell: A quarter of Verstappen’s engineers wanted to leave
The Mercedes driver certainly didn’t hold back:
“For me, it’s interesting this whole regard with him and his own team.
“They’re doing their utmost to get [Christian] Horner out of Red Bull,” Russell told the media
“But at the very first race that he [Max Verstappen] wasn’t competitive, he was absolutely slamming his team.
“I know for a fact, the week after, a quarter of his engineering team were sending their CVs to Mercedes, to McLaren, to Aston [Martin].
“I don’t respect somebody who doesn’t appreciate those who have given them the chance to perform.
“Because in these last 12 races, he has had a car that is of normal competitiveness.”
Red Bull and Mercedes rivalry re-ignited
With just one race left this season, it is unlikely (though not impossible) that Verstappen and Russell will fight wheel-to-wheel again in 2024.
However, based on the W15’s upward trajectory, there is every reason for Red Bull and Mercedes to fight for the title in 2024.
James Allison’s technical team have largely overcome their mid-season slump.
Mercedes have successfully optimised their latest upgrades – which should form a foundation for their 2025 package.
Meanwhile, Red Bull have managed to revive the RB20 after months of stagnation. The new floor introduced in Singapore gave Verstappen the tools to finish off the Championship with three rounds to go.
Because of this, both George Russell and Max Verstappen can be optimistic about their 2025 prospects.
Even after his victory in Las Vegas, Russell promised to bring the fight to Verstappen next season. Of course, these comments were made before their feud spilled over.
Considering how things have evolved since then, the British driver will have extra motivation to fight the Dutchman in 2025.
Looking ahead to next year’s campaign, both drivers could fight for victories on a regular basis.
Given that Russell and Verstappen’s frustrations haven’t cooled down since Qatar, it is safe to assume tensions will continue for the foreseeable future.
In the context of Hamilton’s move to Ferrari and Antonelli’s Mercedes debut, this late-season conflict could add another fascinating dimension to next year’s grid.
It also seems inevitable that Toto Wolff and Christian Horner will involve themselves in this dispute – reigniting another of F1’s most established rivalries.
