Max Verstappen’s potential Mercedes move could put 12x podium finisher in jeopardy according to F1 pundit

F1 pundit and former racer Ralf Schumacher feels that Max Verstappen potentially joining Mercedes could put 12x podium finisher George Russell in jeopardy. Since the start of the season, Toto Wolff has been publicly courting the Dutch driver.

The rumors of a switch started with Red Bull's internal power struggle which made headlines. The team reportedly split into factions where Max Verstappen and team principal Christian Horner were on opposite sides. During this time, Max Verstappen had claimed that he could leave the team if he felt that the environment was just not right for success.

Those comments and rumors of the driver leaving Red Bull seem distant at this stage. Mercedes has also made significant improvements since then. The team secured pole position in Canada as George Russell fought for the win.

With Kimi Antonelli also waiting in the wings, Ralf Schumacher felt that if the situation arose where Max Verstappen took the punt on Mercedes, George Russell's job could be at risk. He told Sky Sports Germany (via Racing News 365):

"If Max Verstappen really decides to leave Red Bull, I can imagine that there will be a seat for him at Mercedes. Then it could be rather bad for George Russell. He is or was a super talent, but he also makes a lot of mistakes. If a world champion is on the market, I can imagine that George Russell's job could also be in danger."

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Max Verstappen would have won the race in Canada in a Mercedes

Ralf further emphasized his point as he said that the Dutch driver is the best on the grid and he made the difference in Canada. Red Bull, Mercedes, and McLaren all had a shot at winning the race.

Max Verstappen eventually won the Canadian GP while both George and Lando had slight errors in terms of driving and strategy. Talking about how the Dutch driver would be a good fit at Mercedes, Ralf said (via Racing News 365):

"Mercedes would have won the race in Canada with Max Verstappen - that's a clear case. Max is the driver who makes the big difference. Mercedes has had a long dry spell and urgently needs a world champion to get back to the front."

He added:

"Verstappen is also a guy who comes across as very conservative, pleasant and sporty. Accordingly, I could imagine that Toto Wolff and Mercedes would do a lot with him and would do a lot for him."

Verstappen's contract with Red Bull is supposed to extend until the end of the 2028 F1 season. According to reports, there are multiple breakaway clauses that depend on different conditions. Whether the Dutch driver stays with the Austrian team until the end of his contract is a very interesting debate, especially since the date is still too far down the line.