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Russell laughs off Verstappen rumors: 'I need to be faster myself'
George Russell laughed off rumors of Max Verstappen potentially moving to Mercedes, refocusing attention squarely on his own on-track performance.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-07-16T16:36:57.000Z - 1 min read
The Formula 1 paddock has been buzzing with speculation about Max Verstappen's future for some time, with Mercedes often named as a potential destination. These persistent rumors recently reached the ears of George Russell, the current driver for the German team.
However, Russell responded remarkably pragmatically and even with a laugh to the suggestion that Verstappen could become his teammate. He appeared to approach the discussion with a lighthearted touch.
The British driver stated that the key to his success and position within the team lies in his own hands. His priority clearly rests on improving his personal speed and on-track performance.
By focusing on himself, Russell minimizes the impact of external speculation. He emphasized the need to be more competitive himself, which he considers the most effective way to deal with such rumors.