Martin Brundle: George Russell "Bruised" By Max Verstappen Affair

Former Formula 1 driver turned pundit Martin Brundle believes George Russell has been "bruised" by speculation surrounding his future at Mercedes this year.

Russell has become the team leader at the Silver Arrows after Lewis Hamilton's switch to Ferrari for the current campaign and has led the team's charge for second in the constructors' championship alongside rookie Kimi Antonelli.

But Russell's future came into doubt when rumors regarding a potential move for Max Verstappen persisted before the summer break, with Antonelli the driver likely to have retained his seat if Mercedes had made a bid to snatch the four-time world champion from Red Bull.

Grazie Monza. 🇮🇹❤️ pic.twitter.com/GmKNltcu49
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) September 7, 2025

To Max, or not to Max

There was talk of a performance-related release clause in Verstappen's contract with Red Bull struggling early in the campaign, though this never came to fruition.

Talks were said to have happened between the Dutchman and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, however, with Russell the driver most likely to have missed out on a place with the team in the eventuality of a swap.

Now that the picture has settled and Verstappen has committed to Red Bull for at least next year, Mercedes looks likely to continue with its current driver line-up, even though contracts are yet to be finalized.

With Antonelli currently struggling for form and failing to arrest those issues at the Italian Grand Prix last weekend, it is he that now has questions regarding his future beginning to swirl.

George Russell, Mercedes, during qualifying for the 2025 Italian Grand Prix at Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza. | Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team

But asked during Sky Sports F1's broadcast of the race at Monza whether he would keep Antonelli, Brundle replied: "I'd take him."

Pointing to the potential damage done to morale by the speculation regarding a move for Verstappen before the summer, Brundle added: "I would have signed George a long time ago because George is not happy is he?

"It is very easy to see that George feels quite bruised about all the Max talk and what have you through the summer. When you look at the calm of McLaren other teams, I just think theyve injected too many of their own problems into the driver line-up. I'd take him [Antonelli]."

Russell sits fourth in the standings with one victory to his name and has helped Mercedes to third in the constructors' table, just 20 points adrift of Ferrari. Antonelli has contributed 66 of the 260 points scored by the German manufacturer, but sits behind Williams' Alex Albon in the drivers' standings.

The Latest F1 News