George Russell suggested that Max Verstappen could take a break from his career in 2026 and miss one season. Even though the current world champion has a contract with Red Bull Racing until the end of 2028, Russell thinks Max can take a year off to assess from the outside which team can build the best car under the new regulations.
George Russell: “I don’t mind being in the same team as Max and I wouldn’t hesitate to let him drive with me. When I joined Mercedes I faced the biggest challenge: fighting against the statistically best driver of all time – and I did it well.
Max could take a year off in 2026 to see which team comes out on top. I wouldn’t be surprised if he decides to do so. Remember, there will be a lottery in 2026. Nobody knows what will happen.
As for me, I am a loyal man. Mercedes has given me opportunities, but I want to become world champion. At the moment our team is not able to do that, but who knows. Just a year ago McLaren was the slowest team, and now they have the fastest car.”
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
