The speculation hung over much of the 2025 season, as Verstappen’s future at Red Bull appeared uncertain due to the team’s early-season struggles. During that period, Mercedes were widely linked with the four-time world champion, fuelling suggestions that Russell might be at risk.

Russell revealed that Mercedes did approach Verstappen, but he sees this as perfectly understandable. “As a team you obviously want to have the best possible driver duo in the car, so you want the best drivers you can get on the market. Verstappen is simply the best driver on the grid at the moment,” he told Auto Motor und Sport. Despite the rumours, he insisted he always felt secure in his position. “I'm not worried about that, that I could lose my seat,” Russell added. Mercedes reinforced that trust by signing him to a contract extension in October 2025.

The uncertainty over Russell’s seat coincided with Mercedes investing heavily in rookie Kimi Antonelli. The team clearly sees Antonelli as a future star, but Russell outperformed the teenager during 2025, scoring more than double Antonelli’s points, winning two races, and finishing on the podium nine times. This strong performance underlined Russell’s importance to the team, despite speculation that a move for Verstappen could threaten his position.

Looking ahead, Russell discussed the potential of a Mercedes line-up featuring both him and Verstappen. He admitted that having two top drivers in the same team almost always leads to tension. “Whichever way you look at it, when you put the best drivers side by side, sooner or later a confrontation is inevitable,” he said. However, he believes Mercedes have the experience to manage such a pairing, recalling how the team successfully handled the rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas in previous seasons.

Russell’s comments come after a turbulent period in F1, including a notable row with Verstappen at the end of the 2024 season, sparked by an incident in Qatar. While the two drivers’ relationship appears calmer now, Russell’s remarks suggest that competition on track would still be intense if they were teammates.

Ultimately, Verstappen committed to staying at Red Bull, unable to activate an exit clause in his contract, leaving Mercedes to continue with Russell and Antonelli for 2026. With his seat secured, Russell can now focus fully on chasing the Drivers’ Championship next season.