George Russell tells Max Verstappen ‘F1 is bigger than any driver’ after regulation criticism

George Russell has told Max Verstappen “F1 is bigger than any driver” following the Dutchman’s repeated criticism of the regulations.

Verstappen’s dislike of the 2026 regulations has been one of the leading themes of the season so far but Russell has suggested those complaints come from Red Bull’s performance.

George Russell responds to Max Verstappen critcism

While Verstappen can only answer the questions he has been asked, his dislike of the regulations has been consistent throughout the season, leading to suggestions he could walk away from F1.

For Russell though, he is likely to feel much more positive about the new regulations given he is one of two leading contenders for the championship and when asked about Verstappen’s complaints, the Briton suggested the sport was bigger than any one driver.

“Formula 1 is bigger than any driver, so you know, you wouldn’t want to lose Max, because I think we all enjoy racing against Max, and it’s just part and parcel of a Formula 1,” he told select media including PlanetF1.com.

“I didn’t enjoy driving the ’22 car when it was porpoising up and down, you know, killing everybody’s backs. 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 currently are different to the complaints of Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren, because we’re at the front end of the grid, and this is only natural, and you do understand and recognise the frustration, but he’s achieved what most drivers dream of, which is winning a championship. He’s got four of them, and at the end of the day, I guess, you get to a point in life that there’s not really much more for him to achieve in Formula 1.”

More on Russell from PlanetF1.com

* George Russell details Mercedes contract clause amid Verstappen links
* Helmut Marko warns Mercedes of ‘tension’ in Russell v Antonelli title fight
* Nigel Mansell delivers verdict on Russell, Hamilton and Antonelli

Russell suggested that Verstappen has reached a point where winning is not everything and instead, the Red Bull driver wants to do things that “put a smile on your face.”

“He’s ticked all the boxes. 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, and I can totally understand why driving the Nordschleife puts a smile on his face.

“I’ve driven hundreds of laps around the Nordschleife on the simulator and I would love to have that chance to go and race around 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, you know, he’s in a very different stage of his career. And I think you’d understand if he stayed, and you’d understand if he went.”

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