Russell 'would Understand' If Verstappen Leaves F1

Russell said he believed Verstappen's complaints were influenced by nan truth nan Dutch driver's Red Bull squad person not started nan play pinch a competitory car.

"I didn't bask driving nan 2022 car erstwhile it was porpoising up and down, sidesplitting everybody's backs," said Russell, whose Mercedes squad person won each 3 races this year.

"The car was big, it was heavy. The high-speed corners, it wasn't very pleasant to thrust around. But he didn't person nan aforesaid complaint, because he was winning.

"Now, nan complaints that he has presently are different to nan complaints of Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren, because we're astatine nan beforehand extremity of nan grid. This is only natural, and you do understand and recognise nan frustration."

Russell said Verstappen's occurrence was besides an important facet successful his thinking. The 28-year-old is besides starting to title successful athletics cars, particularly astatine nan iconic Nurburgring Nordschleife, a 14-mile circuit successful Germany regarded arsenic nan astir challenging way successful nan world that is excessively vulnerable for modern F1.

"He's achieved what astir drivers dream of, which is winning a championship," Russell said. "He's sewage 4 of them. There's not really overmuch much for him to execute successful Formula 1. He's ticked each nan boxes.

"Maybe he tin spell aft nan records. But knowing him arsenic I do and knowing drivers who person won aliases achieved akin things, astatine 1 point, you want to do what puts a grin connected your face.

"I tin wholly understand why driving nan Nordschleife puts a grin connected his face. I've driven hundreds of laps astir it connected nan simulator. And I would emotion to person that chance to spell and title astir nan Nordschleife.

"But my extremity now is to go a Formula 1 world champion. If I person 4 of them nether my belt, I'd astir apt beryllium doing nan same, truthful he's successful a very different shape of his career."