Following the Monaco Grand Prix and another victory for pole-sitter Lando Norris, the championship increasingly appears to be a battle within McLaren. Norris has closed the gap to teammate Oscar Piastri to just three points. Reigning champion Max Verstappen is also in contention, but beyond these three race winners, there are few serious contenders so far. However, according to Johnny Herbert, Mercedes driver George Russell may well be the dark horse.
After the Monaco Grand Prix, George Russell is fourth in the standings, 62 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri. A significant gap, but not insurmountable. The difference with Max Verstappen is 37 points. As Russell has already stood on the podium four times in the first eight Grands Prix, former driver Johnny Herbert warns not to write off the 27-year-old Brit.
Brimming with Confidence
“George Russell could be the dark horse for the championship,” Herbert told betting platform Fruity King. “He will need a bit of luck. The consistency he shows, I think, is very impressive. And he has that sharp edge.” Herbert believes Russell’s mental resilience and self-confidence could be decisive. “He had that very early in his career,” the former FIA steward explained. “He has always had a lot, a lot of self-confidence. And I think we see that confidence reflected in the cockpit.”
Russell spent years in the shadow of Lewis Hamilton, but now that he has taken on the leadership role alongside Kimi Antonelli, he needs to seriously consider his own ambitions. That team dynamic will be very important, Herbert explained: “He (Russell) needs to keep an eye on his teammate. I think he now also realizes what Antonelli has to offer. So he needs to win the support of the team – as a driver, you always have to make sure that you are the one everyone trusts. And they can trust him, because he simply performs very consistently.”
