F1 News: George Russell on Verstappen - "I Think He's Whinging Because He Wants More Money!"

George Russell has spoken out on Max Verstappen's retirement claims.

Two-time F1 champion Max Verstappen may not be serious about retiring at the end of his current contract in 2028 as he's hinted, according to his racing peer, George Russell. The Mercedes driver suspects Verstappen's talk of leaving F1 might just be a negotiating tactic to get a salary bump.

Verstappen has suggested he might wrap up his F1 career at just 31. Even at such a young age, Verstappen's career would be quite extensive, potentially tallying more than 300 Grand Prix starts by the contract's end.

The Dutchman has previously commented on the increasing number of races in a season and with the recent news of 24 races next year, Verstappen has said that is "too many" for him. He explained, as quoted by The Race:

“We just have to deal with it. I think it’s a bit more logical, the way it’s planned at least. So I guess that’s better for everyone.

“It’s more things that have to come together for me to make my mind up, if I stay longer or not. But yeah, all these things are definitely not helping, for sure.”

Russell, though, isn't convinced by Verstappen's rhetoric. He humorously proposed that Verstappen's apparent disgruntlement with F1's current state could be a sly play for a bigger pay cheque. Russell commented:

“I think he’s whinging because he wants more money!

“He’s the highest-paid on this grid, and rightly so for what he’s achieving, but I think it’s all a big tactic, his threat of retirement and whatnot.

“I hope he doesn’t, I hope he stays for as long as I stay because I want to fight against the best drivers in the world, fighting head-on-head with Lewis [Hamilton] at the moment, I want the chance to do that with Max and with Charles [Leclerc] and with Lando [Norris].”

Along with Verstappen, Russell also expressed concern about the 24-race calendar for 2024, suggesting that there's a limit to how much can be added to drivers' schedules without reducing other commitments. He stated:

“I think we’re in a really great place at the moment as a sport, but I think it is challenging, we can’t just keep adding more commitments, more races, more and more, there’s got to be a point where if you’re adding something, somewhere something’s got to be taken off.

“I know for myself at the moment we’re just adding more races, we’re not having less commitments, so you’re working overtime, and I’m confident and pretty sure that’s the case as well at Red Bull.

“If we didn’t have any other commitments, we’d be happy to race every weekend I’m sure.”