George Russell has urged Mercedes to take the challenge to Max Verstappen in the 2025 Formula 1 season, conceding that “it’s time someone gave him a good fight”.
Russell converted pole position into a dominant win at the Las Vegas Grand Prix on the same weekend where Verstappen claimed his fourth consecutive Drivers’ title.
The Dutchman wrapped up the championship with two events to go despite Red Bull’s mid-season plight prompting him to have one win from the previous 12 rounds.
McLaren’s Lando Norris stood as the sole driver able to beat Verstappen heading into the last round, but numerous errors prevented him from mounting a sterner test.
Russell has insisted that Red Bull’s rivals missed the chance to capitalise on the team’s competitive decline to extend the title fight with Verstappen right until the end.
Asked to provide his assessment on Verstappen’s latest title-winning campaign, Russell told media including Motorsport Week post-race: “Yeah, exceptional.
“He had a dominant car at the start of the year and he got the wins when he needed to and then [I] genuinely thought he probably wasn’t going to win this championship.
“And he delivered week in, week out, and got the best result the car was capable of and his rivals didn’t. And I thought it was going to go right to the wire.
“He won [with] three (sic) races to go. So, you know, huge congrats to him.”
Mercedes prepared to challenge in 2025
Despite Russell’s Las Vegas win, Mercedes is certain to end the campaign in fourth to mark the squad’s lowest placing in the Constructors’ Championship since 2012.
The German marque has continued to struggle to unlock consistent results since the ground effect era started in 2022, which derailed a run of eight successive titles.
Russell, whose move to the team coincided with that downturn, has revealed that he and Mercedes are optimistic it holds the tools to stop Verstappen’s reign in 2025.
“We just got to make sure that we get ourselves in that fight,” he added. “And give him a harder time.
“Because it’s about time; I think we feel ready to try and take that challenge to the front.”
Russell insists Verstappen not ‘unbeatable’
Russell has proclaimed that his record alongside seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton has enhanced his credence that he could hold his own against Verstappen.
Pressed on whether he is confident he could fight Verstappen for the title in equal cars, Russell responded: “Yeah, definitely. Nobody’s unbeatable.
“You go through these phases where teams and drivers together are dominating and people think if I went up alongside them, I wouldn’t be able to compete with them.
“And you’ve got to have belief in yourself.
“For me personally, you know, when I teamed up with Lewis, Lewis is the greatest of all time. And, you know, Max is right up there with Lewis.
“So, yeah, I absolutely believe in myself that we could fight him in equal machinery.”
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