George Russell open to Max Verstappen joining Mercedes as future F1 teammate

George Russell is open to having Max Verstappen as a future teammate at Mercedes , saying: “You don’t need to be best mates as teammates.”

Verstappen has been linked with a move away from Red Bull over recent months after enduring a frustration season in the shadow of McLaren’s dominance. The four-time world champion has dragged himself back into title contention but trails championship leader Lando Norris by 36 points going into the final four races of the season.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff recently admitted that his attempts to poach Verstappen from Red Bull had “destabilised” his team after photos emerged over the summer of the pair socialising on his yacht.

Russell’s own future had been in doubt after months of contract talks with Mercedes, but he eventually signed