Has Russell's time finally come?

You never know how a Formula 1 driver will stand up to the intensity of a world championship fight until they experience one. It’s the ultimate test that will either harden an accomplished driver into a superstar capable of serial victories or expose hitherto hidden weaknesses. There are far more examples of the latter in the history of grand prix racing, drivers whose potential appeared limitless until they hit their ceiling, but those who thrive become greats. This is the undiscovered country George Russell must conquer this year if Mercedes fulfills its ambition of re-emerging as a title-winning force thanks to the major power unit and chassis overhaul in 2026.

Russell turns 28 next month, middle age for a modern F1 driver. He’s won five times but has only occasionally had a car capable of fighting at the front, and never one of championship-challenging caliber. His record against seven-time world champion teammate Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes from 2022-24 was strong, with a superior qualifying record and a near-identical number of points scored (695 to 697). He also proved he can thrive in uncompetitive machinery at Williams, at times turning in startling giant-killing performances in his first three years in F1. Regardless of whether or not Mercedes is up to it in 2026, and there’s a question mark hanging over that even if the power unit is market-leading, Russell has earned a title shot.

You wouldn’t blame him for being frustrated that four years at Mercedes did not give him that chance. I asked him in Abu Dhabi last year about where he saw his level as a driver and how conscious he was of the ticking of the clock, and he gave a revealing answer.

“I definitely know I can mix it with those guys at the top,” said Russell. “Max is the gold standard at the moment and he's the one that I want to go head-to-head with, he’s the only one that people would question. He's the only driver on the grid that you'd want to be teammates with to see your competitiveness.

“But I always remind myself of [Michael] Schumacher at Ferrari, five years with the team before the first championship. People only remember the glory years, but the majority of people don't remember four years because of failure. For me to finish second in the championship or 20th, honestly it's kind of the same thing – you’re not winning. Coming from Williams when I was at the back every single weekend, that was so frustrating, but now I’m in this position still not fighting for a championship and it isn’t really much different. No one wants to fight for P2, but you have to be patient.”

That Russell cites Verstappen as the driver he must take on is telling. Implicitly dismissive of F1’s other leading lights, including world champion Lando Norris, it exposes the confidence Russell exudes. Yet characterizing Verstappen as the one driver anyone would question him having the measure of perhaps reveals the doubt within: does he have it in him to beat him?

Russell wants to measure himself up against Verstappen. Clive Mason/Getty Images

To call it a rivalry between the duo would be exaggerating. At best, it’s one-sided, with Russell seeing Verstappen as the driver he must take every opportunity to put one over. As for Verstappen, he has occasionally reacted to Russell’s threat but more in the way that you might be irritated by a fly. That will grow into something far more substantial if they end up in a title fight. Russell showed at the end of 2024 that he was very well aware of this when he launched a calculated series of verbal broadsides at Verstappen in Abu Dhabi that he saw as drawing a line in the sand against his putative great foe.

There have been flashpoints on track. The collision on the first lap of the Azerbaijan sprint in 2023, the clash later that year at Las Vegas that earned Russell a penalty, the impeding incident in Qatar 2024 that so incensed Verstappen when he was punished, and the red mist moment when Verstappen hit Russell in Spain last year – it all adds up to what might be called proto-rivalry that could turn into something bigger. So is Russell up to it?

His pace was convincing right from the start with Williams, his sensational near-victory on debut for Mercedes in 2020 when he stood in for Hamilton underscored that. He combines smoothness with tremendous commitment in terms of the speed carried into the corner, proving his adaptability under the ground-effect regulations of 2022-25 by mastering an earlier braking style as demanded by the cars – albeit not quite to the same extent as Verstappen. That was crucial to him getting on top of Hamilton in qualifying, particularly in the final year of their partnership. For Russell, it’s all about getting the car set up to carry the speed through the corner, with a broad window of tolerance for its characteristics on turn-in. There have been hints of him struggling slightly more when grip is lower, in common with Piastri late last season, but he’s also demonstrated that he can counter that by increasing the amount of brake/throttle overlap in the entry phase. His driving toolkit is well-stocked.

He’s made significant improvements in tire management, an area where Hamilton often had the edge, although not to the point where he may not still be giving a little away to the best at that. Historically, first laps weren’t always a strong point, but his decision-making and car positioning have evolved significantly from his earlier days. He’s also fast in the wet, as proven by the improbable second on the grid for Williams at Spa in 2021 that stands as one of the great qualifying feats of the 21st century.

What stood out last year was his consistency. No driver made fewer significant errors in 2025, Verstappen included, but that wasn’t typical of his Mercedes stint prior to that. In 2023, he had what he called “a really scrappy, messy season”, one with too many mistakes. But the Russell of last year exhibited the ability to walk on the tightrope between attacking and not slipping off that will serve him well in a title battle, winning in Canada and Singapore and scoring heavily throughout to finish the season as the highest-scoring driver outside of the title-chasing trio.

“That’s always been in my nature pre-F1 and helped me to secure championships,” said Russell of this change. “It was just during my time with Lewis, I felt that I wanted to push myself to see if there was more in the tank, go beyond the limit and see what happens. In 2023, I wasn’t satisfied just fighting for podiums, I wanted to push the boundaries more to try and get a highlight result rather than settling. And it bit me in the ass a bit, so I just reined it back in and that probably helped me get bigger results.”

Russell pushed harder in 2023, but it didn't pay off. Lionel Ng/Sutton Images

What he speaks of there is the learning experience all drivers must go through. It’s about learning exactly where the limit is, when you need to be right on it and when you can afford to be at 99 percent. Even Verstappen had to work through that, emerging from a difficult spell at Red Bull on his way to becoming the relentless winning machine he became. Russell has yet to prove he can maintain that strong judgment under championship stress, but 12 months ago that capacity would have been a major question mark whereas now he appears to have it under control.

As well as being intelligent and technically adept, Russell also has an edge. He’s extremely polished, has taken a leadership role among the drivers through his role as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association and isn’t afraid of speaking his mind to push whatever agenda he feels serves either the group or, when appropriate, his own ends. He’s also ruthless, perhaps one of the few drivers on the grid capable of matching Verstappen in that regard. This doesn’t mean he can live with Verstappen, merely that this is another promising facet of his competitive make-up yet to be pressure-tested.

There’s no doubt that Russell is a very good grand prix driver, one capable of great wins on his day. He’s also demonstrated he can underpin that with consistent scoring and continually raise his game. He is, along with Charles Leclerc, at the front of the queue for a title tilt and will be perfectly placed to do so if Mercedes is as strong as hoped given he’s firmly established as its team leader heading into his fifth season.

Yet there are still doubts, as there would be with any driver in his position. Toto Wolff’s pursuit of Max Verstappen, the driver any team would sign in a flash, led to a lengthy wait before Russell’s contract to remain with Mercedes in 2025 was finalized in October last year. That was to Russell’s benefit given his stock was higher than it had been a year earlier, when he would also have been willing to re-sign, but nonetheless led to a period when, behind the scenes, he had to keep exploring other options.

That in itself showcases the difference between Russell and Verstappen. While Russell still has more to prove, Verstappen has already done so many times over. If Russell can’t even try this year then he will be all-too-aware that he might need to maneuver himself into a position elsewhere that allows him to do so.

Heading into a season when the futures of Verstappen and Hamilton, not to mention the sustainability of the Norris/Piastri alliance at McLaren, are big talking points, Russell’s potential place in the driver market story must not be overlooked. Either 2026 will present the opportunity to fulfill what he sees as his destiny, or force some serious reflection about what the future holds.