P1racenews AI automatic summary:
2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button has advised Mercedes against letting George Russell go amid the team’s ongoing pursuit of Max Verstappen.
In 2009, Jenson Button, the Formula 1 World Champion, cautioned Mercedes against parting ways with George Russell while pursuing Max Verstappen. Rumors have circulated about Verstappen potentially joining Mercedes from 2026 onwards. Speculations even claim that Verstappen has signed a deal with Mercedes after a meeting with Team Principal Toto Wolff in Sardinia. Despite no official confirmation, there’s a general consensus that if Verstappen joins, Russell might have to make room due to their history. Button believes it would be a peculiar decision to let Russell, a skilled driver, go in favor of Verstappen. He suggests pairing Russell and Verstappen together for a competitive lineup instead of replacing one with the other.
