George Russell being considered by Red Bull for blockbuster move, confirms Christian Horner

George Russell could squad up with Red Bull successful 2026, with squad rule Christian Horner explaining that they would beryllium "foolish" for not taking his Mercedes declaration expiration into consideration

Christian Horner has admitted that Red Bull whitethorn look to people George Russell erstwhile his declaration with Mercedes expires.

The 26-year-old is retired of declaration with Toto Wolff's squad astatine the extremity of adjacent year's Formula One season, and considering his capabilities connected the way alongside existent teammate Lewis Hamilton, Horner believes Red Bull would beryllium "foolish" not to see making an connection for him.

Russell has impressed with Mercedes since making the determination from Williams 2 years ago, finishing 4th successful his maiden outing with the team. An eighth-place decorativeness successful past year's championships was acold from thing to outcry about, however, successful 2024, Russell has been the speech of the town.

He presently sits successful seventh spot with 7 Grand Prix inactive to race, with 143 points to his sanction acknowledgment to a triumph astatine the Austrian GP and podium places successful Canada, Azerbaijan and Spain. And Horner believes that Russell would beryllium a superb acquisition to Red Bull erstwhile his existent declaration runs retired astatine the extremity of adjacent year.

Speaking up of the Singapore GP's qualifying rounds, Horner admitted: "We person got a spread present but we conscionable privation to instrumentality clip to see what those options look similar for the future. We're not acrophobic to spell retired of the pool. George Russell is retired of declaration astatine the extremity of adjacent twelvemonth and it would beryllium foolish for america not to take that into consideration."

Kimi Antonelli is acceptable to contention alongside Russell for Mercedes adjacent twelvemonth with Lewis Hamilton jumping vessel to Ferrari, but Wolff volition person to scramble to marque caller acquisitions of his ain if some determine to permission aft the 2025 Championships. Mercedes person been incredibly unfastened astir luring three-time champion Max Verstappen distant from Red Bull, and helium volition beryllium disposable to marque a determination successful 2026 owed to a declaration clause.

And should Wolff beryllium palmy successful bringing Verstappen connected committee successful the future, a determination to Red Bull for Russell would of people beryllium a no-brainer. However, Horner isn't precisely strapped of options for down the enactment if Verstappen decided to portion ways with his existent team.

During the interview, Horner added: "We person fixed a large accidental to galore young drivers, immoderate who you mentioned there. The Red Bull strategy does request show and does request results. Of course, Max is delivering. Checo has been underperforming this year, but past twelvemonth helium did a bully capable occupation to decorativeness 2nd and triumph america the constructors championship.

"We request to look further down the road, we person got immoderate large talent. We person got Liam Lawson connected the bench. We are not rather definite looking astatine the likes of Colapinto, Bearman and Antonelli, is helium astatine that level? Time volition tell. We person got Isack Hadjar successful Formula 2, who until precocious was starring that championship.

"We person got a precise promising endowment that I americium peculiarly excited astir successful F3 successful Arvin Lindblad. We person got batch of extent successful our inferior programme." Verstappen has erstwhile again conquered absorption successful F1 this year, looking incredibly apt to clinch a 4th consecutive rubric erstwhile each is said and done. He presently leads successful the standings with a whopping 313 points done 7 wins and 10 podiums, portion 2nd spot Lando Norris lags down with 254 points for McLaren.