Mercedes told to sacrifice George Russell in risky Max Verstappen plan

should let go to make room for , according to Express Sport readers. The talented Brit has enjoyed an exceptional start to the 2025 campaign but remains without a contract that would keep him with the Silver Arrows into the new regulation period. Russell and team-mate Kimi Antonelli are both products of the Mercedes young driver programme, and the 27-year-old has stepped up into a team leader role in 2025 after Lewis Hamilton swapped Brackley for Maranello, joining Ferrari and ending a 12-year stay with Toto Wolff's squad.

The 2025 campaign has been a breakthrough one for Russell, who until the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix had finished fifth or higher in every race. Heading into the Monaco Grand Prix, he is the bridge between the three drivers fighting for the Drivers' Championship title and the chasing pack.

However, despite his strong performances, his future is unclear. With Verstappen still potentially on the market, Wolff would have to make a brutal decision if he wants to secure the services of the four-time world champion.

In a survey of over 3,000 Express Sport readers, 65 per cent believed that Russell should be the man to make way, should Verstappen become available for Mercedes and Wolff. Only 35 per cent of those surveyed believed that Antonelli should be sidelined after his rookie campaign.

While Antonelli is undoubtedly a star in the making, dropping Russell to make room for Verstappen would be a risky move. The three-time Grand Prix winner has been on a steady upward trajectory in his F1 career thus far, and his performances over the past 12 months indicate that he is ready for the rigours of a title fight.

By leaving Russell's contract situation open, Wolff is opening the door for a rival team principal, particularly Red Bull's Christian Horner, to slide in and steal the King's Lynn-born racer away from the team that nurtured him through the junior ranks and turned him into a Grand Prix winner.

For now, Russell insists he is relaxed about the contract predicament. "When Lewis was here, they never discussed the contract prior to June, July," he told The Athletic earlier this season.

"It was always the summer, the abnormal part is probably how many drivers have signed so early [on long contracts]. I feel a lot of drivers who are so fixated on trying to secure their futures are maybe ones who don't have as much self-belief in themselves and feel the need to have that security.

"The fact is, if you have a contract and you don't perform, the team finds a way of getting rid of you. Performance is our only currency. And if you perform, the rest sorts itself out. When people aren't satisfied, people want change, so let's see next year. I think it'll be an interesting summer."