Is Russell the future for Mercedes? Or Verstappen?

Juan Pablo Montoya believes Russell has the talent to win a Formula 1 world championship – if Mercedes deliver a car capable of fighting at the front – and warned that Red Bull could be set for a dramatic decline in 2026.

Speaking about Russell’s potential, Montoya said: “Yes, George Russell has championship potential because of his speed. He drives fast, he's smart, and he stays out of trouble. He could be a championship winner if he had the best car. But he wouldn't be an underdog champion like Max was.”

Looking ahead to the major regulation changes in 2026, Montoya raised concerns about Red Bull’s competitiveness with the new Red Bull Powertrains-Ford unit: “They have an engine power unit for next year that nobody knows how good it is at this point. Red Bull next year could be running where Williams is running.”

Montoya suggested that if Max Verstappen were to leave Red Bull for Mercedes, one of the team’s current drivers would inevitably be sacrificed – a scenario that could also open the door for a Red Bull return.

“The hard thing is, McLaren just re-signed Piastri," he said. "Would Toto get rid of Antonelli to accommodate Max? Or would you get rid of George? I don't know how clear the option is there. Basically, if Max went to Mercedes, whoever left Mercedes would go to Red Bull, in my opinion.

“If you had to make a decision tomorrow, would you get rid of George? George has been a Mercedes guy for a long time. It's not like the only eyes were for Antonelli.

“And Antonelli's done a very good job being a rookie. So the question is, do you want to pair George with Max? Do you want to pair Max with Antonelli? Or you decide to stay where you are and don't take Max? That could happen.

“I know Toto was desperate to have Max last year. Is he still desperate this year to have Max? I'm not so sure," ventured Montoya, a seven-time Grand Prix winner.

Montoya dismissed the idea of Yuki Tsunoda stepping up as Red Bull’s lead driver if Verstappen departs, believing the team would look elsewhere; he said: “I don't think Yuki Tsunoda would be number one.

"Somebody externally would come to replace him. So, this is the way they need to look at it. Do we want to spend the money on a sub driver?

“Do they have enough money for that engine programme to put all the eggs into the engine programme and not be concerned about how much money they spend developing that engine. That's the million dollar question.”

He added that Red Bull’s 2025 form could determine Verstappen’s loyalty: “The position they're in right now sucks because if they had the fastest car this year they would have Max next year 100%. But this year it's hit and miss – and more miss than hit.

“They went to Bahrain, and they had the fourth fastest car. So, when you have the fourth fastest car, you finish where you finished. And he actually finished a little better than where he should have finished. So, what else can you ask for?” concluded Montoya.

Aston Martin is also being bandied about, and the most likely destination for Verstappen. He would join Adrian Newey, who designed the cars that Max won his four titles with, to spearhead Lawrence Stroll's F1 Super Team.