George Russell's focus is on the start of the new F1 season with Mercedes, but he's been tipped to receive a distracting offer to entice him away from the Silver Arrows

F1 2026 driver musical chairs with Max Verstappen to Mercedes and George Russell joining Colton Herta at Cadillac.

With one of his career rivals Lewis Hamilton hoping for a fresh title charge at Ferrari, Verstappen's fiery on-track relationship with the British star could spike after their memorable 2021 battle. "He’ll race exactly the same," said the former F1 racer. "That's how he's hard-wired, that’s why he’s a four-time champion.

Max Verstappen’s reluctance to attend the Red Bull F175 launch heightened when confronted by comedian Jack Whitehall’s jokes about his tension with George Russell. Despite their ongoing rivalry, Verstappen is focused on his pursuit of a fifth consecutive world title,

Mercedes George Russell believes that the 2025 Formula 1 season could draw similarities to the thrilling 2021 season. 2021 was arguably one of the greatest seasons the competition has ever seen, with the titanic title battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton going down in history.

Lewis Hamilton’s Max Verstappen ‘promise’ revealed ahead of Australian Grand Prix - Follow live updates as Lewis Hamilton prepares for his Ferrari debut in F1 at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne