Max Verstappen backed to ‘100%’ replace George Russell in Mercedes swap
Former Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley has stated he would "100%" replace George Russell with Max Verstappen if he were in Toto Wolff's position at Mercedes.
Verstappen's future at Red Bull is uncertain, making him a target for other teams, including Mercedes.
Wolff had previously tried to sign Verstappen for 2025 but was unsuccessful. With Lewis Hamilton departing, Kimi Antonelli was promoted.
The prospect of Verstappen joining in 2026 or later remains open. If he were to join, either Antonelli or Russell would likely have to leave. Given Russell's contract situation and Antonelli being seen as a future star, Russell appears the more likely candidate to be replaced.
Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Smedley praised Verstappen's ability to extract performance beyond the car's capabilities, citing his performances in Miami.
Smedley believes Verstappen's talent, grit, and singular focus on racing would push Mercedes to achieve 101% effort daily, without complacency.
Original Article :https://www.planetf1.com/news/george-russell-under-threat-with-100-max-verstappe...