Russell mentioned he believed Verstappen’s complaints had been influenced by the reality the Dutch driver’s Red Bull crew haven’t began the season with a aggressive automotive.
“I didn’t enjoy driving the 2022 car when it was porpoising up and down, killing everybody’s backs,” mentioned Russell, whose Mercedes crew have gained all three races this 12 months.
“The car was big, it was heavy. The high-speed corners, it wasn’t very pleasant to drive around. But he didn’t have the same complaint, because he was winning.
“Now, the complaints that he has at present are totally different to the complaints of Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren, as a result of we’re at the entrance finish of the grid. This is barely pure, and also you do perceive and recognise the frustration.”
Russell said Verstappen’s success was also an important factor in his thinking. The 28-year-old is also starting to race in sport cars, especially at the iconic Nurburgring Nordschleife, a 14-mile circuit in Germany regarded as the most challenging track in the world that is too dangerous for modern F1.
“He’s achieved what most drivers dream of, which is profitable a championship,” Russell said. “He’s bought 4 of them. There’s probably not rather more for him to attain in Formula 1. He’s ticked all the packing containers.
“Maybe he can go after the records. But knowing him as I do and knowing drivers who have won or achieved similar things, at one point, you want to do what puts a smile on your face.
“I can completely perceive why driving the Nordschleife places a smile on his face. I’ve pushed a whole bunch of laps round it on the simulator. And I might like to have that probability to go and race round the Nordschleife.
“But my goal now is to become a Formula 1 world champion. If I have four of them under my belt, I’d probably be doing the same, so he’s in a very different stage of his career.”
