George Russell explains Max Verstappen inspiration as Mercedes star gives Toto Wolff hope

George Russell has explained that Max Verstappen’s seven-year wait for a maiden Drivers’ Championship title ahead of his 2021 triumph gives him hope that he could eventually become a world champion with Mercedes. The Brit is in his third season with the Silver Arrows, but they remain uncompetitive relative to the top three teams in F1.

After stepping up from Toro Rosso into the Red Bull team in 2016, Verstappen was forced to wait until 2021 to launch a serious title fight. Before then, the Dutchman was made to settle for the scraps as Lewis Hamilton added to his World Championship tally, picking up the occasional win while notching up countless podium finishes.

When his luck turned in 2021, it ushered in the start of a new dominant era and now, in 2024, Verstappen is a three-time world champion with a good shot at adding a fourth trophy to his cabinet this year. Russell is hoping that his patience will pay off in a similar manner.

“What gives me hope is that Max was in his seventh season when he fought for a title,” Russell explained. “I’m in my sixth, I’m 26, and Fernando Alonso is 43 [in July]. Seeing him perform as he is, I see no reason why I can’t go into my forties, so I know my time will come. I’m not worried at all.”

If Russell is to live up to the hype bestowed upon him during the early stages of his F1 career, he needs Mercedes to give him more competitive machinery. The Silver Arrows have amassed just 96 points from eight Grands Prix this year, leaving them comfortably adrift from Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren.

Despite the eight-time champions’ worrying development trajectory, Russell is keeping faith. “I believe we will get our chance,” he added. “Now it is Max’s chance, but for the first six years, it wasn’t, which was frustrating for him.

“I have to keep working hard and not lose motivation because you don’t know when that chance will come. Lando, Charles and I have won races, but none of us has had the chance to fight for championships.”

This optimism will offer Toto Wolff fresh hope. Star driver Lewis Hamilton opted to leave Mercedes for the 2025 season, but the former Williams driver is keeping faith in the team that backed him throughout the early stages of his career as he looks to restore the Silver Arrows to regular race-win contention.