Russell: Verstappen is the gold standard

Russell and Verstappen may be the two drivers that share the most animosity on track and sometimes off track with their comments, but the former knows that his rival is the one he needs to beat once he is in a position to fight for the F1 Championship.

Russell delivered a solid season with Mercedes in 2025, taking over the team leader role after Lewis Hamilton left for Ferrari, with rookie Kimi Antonelli replacing him. It also has to be said that Russell has beaten the seven-time F1 Championship more often than not when they shared the Mercedes garage between 2022 and 2024.

In 2025, Russell won twice in Canada and Singapore, the only driver to do so aside from Verstappen and McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. He was also on the podium seven times.

With Mercedes' form fluctuating in 2025, Russell was consistent, and when asked if that was his best season so far in the top flight, he said: "Definitely my most solid in terms of performance—most consistent, least mistakes. So yeah, on the whole, it has been.

"I definitely know I can mix it with those guys at the top," he added. "Max [Verstappen] is obviously the gold standard at the moment.

"He's the one that I'd want to go head-to-head with, and I think he's the only one that people would question. He's the only driver on the grid that you'd want to be teammates with to see your competitiveness with."

Russell joined Mercedes when they started to drop in performance at the start of the ground effect era in 2022, a car concept the eight-time F1 Constructors' Champions could not master.

But he believes he can lead the team to a resurgence and hopes to emulate the great Michael Schumacher, who led Ferrari to title glory after years of failure, winning five consecutive F1 Title doubles between 2000 and 2004.

"I always remind myself of Schumacher at Ferrari," Russell said. "That it took five years with the team before the first championship.

"People only remember the glory years, but the majority of people don't remember those four years of no championship wins.

“And for me to finish second in the championship, or 20th in the championship, honestly it's kind of the same thing. You're not winning, and that has been learning for me as well, coming from Williams when I was at the back every single weekend.

"That was so frustrating, but now I'm in this position, still not fighting for a championship, isn't really much different, if that makes sense. You're either fighting for a championship or you're not, and if you're not, no one ever wants to fight for P2.

“So I'm ready for it, but I know my time; I have to be patient," the five-time F1 race winner concluded.

Russell will be hoping that Mercedes build a competitive car for the new era of regulations in 2026. (Reporting by Agnes Carlier)