George Russell has said he has no preference over who will be Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate at Mercedes when he leaves Maranello at the end of the season.
“I welcome anyone as a teammate,” Russell said this week. “As it is, I think I’ve found some pretty good company. So anyone is welcome.”
F2 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli is currently hot favorites to secure second place at Brackley next year after a ‘shootout’ test with Mercedes reserve driver Mick Schumacher.
“I think Kimmy is a fantastic driver,” Russell said. “He’s obviously racing in Formula 2 this year, but there’s no doubt he’ll be a Formula 1 driver in the future,” Russell admitted.
“He is also a fellow junior driver and is rising through the ranks just as I was with the team, so I think this will be a great opportunity for Mercedes to shape the future.
Another name floating around the paddock is Max Verstappen. If we can lure him away from Red Bull.
“I wouldn’t be ashamed to jump in with Max, and I wouldn’t be ashamed to have him jump in with us,” Russell told the Briton. daily mail This week’s newspaper.
“I had the biggest difficulty joining Mercedes. [Hamilton in 2022], statistically the best driver of all time in qualifying and races and I raced against him. That’s all I can do.”
But no matter who takes the job, Russell’s goal remains the same. “My job is to beat my teammates and get the most out of the car. I am a loyal person and Mercedes gave me a chance, but I want to become world champion.
“What gives me hope is that Max is in his seventh season fighting for the title and I am in my sixth,” he said. “I’m 26 and Fernando Alonso is 43. When you see him do it, there’s no reason he can’t be in his 40s.
“I know my time will come. I’m not worried at all,” he insisted. “You have to keep working hard and not lose motivation because you never know when an opportunity will come.
He added that a change in the Mercedes lineup could be the boost Mercedes needs to overcome its current slump. “It is good for Lewis to leave us now rather than in 2021, which will have been difficult for the whole team.”
“It’s a new beginning for the team. So many people here have shared Lewis’s success, but change often brings a new spark to everyone,” he said. “The same goes for Lewis. [moving to Ferrari]And that triggers that for us next year.
“You have to adapt and evolve and we are in the process of building from the ground up,” he added. “A year ago McLaren were the slowest team, now they are the fastest.”
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