With three podium finishes to his name already, George Russell has made an excellent start to the 2025 season. However, Mr. Consistency is not seen as a serious title contender, unlike Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and Max Verstappen. Does the Mercedes driver find this unjust? ‘I’m not looking for external recognition,’ Russell admits.
George Russell has already finished on the podium three times this season, and with a six-point deficit to Max Verstappen, he is fourth in the drivers’ championship. Yet, the Mercedes driver is hardly associated with this year’s title fight. Russell candidly admits that he has become accustomed to this by now.
“For the past three years alongside Lewis (Hamilton), both his and my name were never mentioned as title contenders. We were never in a position to fight for the title,” explains the Mercedes driver. “This year, our start to the season has been fantastic. I don’t think we could have performed better than we have. But we also know that the McLarens are incredibly strong, and it’s going to be a huge task for everyone to take them on.”
Acknowledgement
Despite the McLarens currently leading in both championships, Max Verstappen remains a title contender. Does Russell really not mind that this does not seem to be the case for him? “To be honest, not really,” the Brit admits. “I’m a Formula 1 driver whose dream has already come true. The reality is that if we want to fight for the championship this year, we need to improve. I’m not looking for external recognition. I just want to race every weekend, perform, and do my job.”
In addition to not being seen as a serious title contender for the current season, rumors are circulating again that the Brit needs to be careful not to lose his Mercedes seat. According to several experts, there is a high chance that if Verstappen leaves Red Bull, he could join the German racing team.
