Montoya sends bold message to Mercedes about Russell: ‘Forget Verstappen’

Juan Pablo Montoya has claimed that Mercedes do not need Max Verstappen amid George Russell’s recent impressive displays.

The 50-year-old, who spoke on the AS Colombia MontoyAS podcast, explained that the British driver’s recent form proves Mercedes already have someone capable of matching Verstappen’s level and urged the team to secure his long-term future.

“I don’t know what Toto [Wolff] is thinking. George is showing that they don’t need Max because they already have him, who can be as good as Max in the future."

“The only thing this is demonstrating is that they need to guarantee Russell’s future. The way he’s doing it, he’s forcing Mercedes’ hand to say, ‘Hey, we’re going to have to give him whatever he wants.’ He’s won two races this year with a car that theoretically had no way of winning.”

George Russell celebrates his Singapore GP victory on the podium - Photo: Race Pictures

Russell has been one of the standout drivers of the 2025 campaign so far. Through the first 18 races of the season, the British driver has recorded 15 top-five finishes, including two race victories.

However, despite his impressive run of form, speculation continues to swirl around his future. Ralf Schumacher recently suggested that Russell could be looking to part ways with Toto Wolff as his advisor.

Chadwick hails Russell as a complete driver

Jamie Chadwick also hailed Russell as becoming a complete driver during her recent appearance on the Sky Sports F1 podcast. The European Le Mans Series driver praised the Mercedes star’s ability to deliver under pressure.

Chadwick, who drew comparisons to Verstappen, detailed how Russell continues to approach the category the Red Bull Racing driver currently occupies. Since taking the reins as Mercedes’ lead driver, Russell has dominated his current teammate, Kimi Antonelli. He is also responsible for eight of the nine podiums the Brackley-based outfit have recorded in 2025 so far.

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