George Russell teases Max Verstappen Nurburgring 24 partnership – ‚I’d relish the opportunity‘

George Russell has stated he would „relish“ partnering Max Verstappen in a future Nurburgring 24 Hours effort, though the Crimson Bull driver didn’t share his pleasure degree.

Verstappen captured the imaginations of System 1 followers and drivers alike final weekend as he took on the fearsome Nordschleife in a GT3 automobile, with a late-race reliability challenge ending what gave the impression to be a race-winning cost.

Final yr, after a sequence of close-fought on-track battles, the connection between Russell and Verstappen was strained at occasions, however the Mercedes driver had nothing however admiration for his rival’s newest outing. 

Requested if he might someday tackle the problem himself, Russell stated: „Yeah, positively someday. 

„To be sincere, like Pierre [Gasly] stated, watching Max on the weekend was fairly cool to see. I’ve adopted the race up to now and people 24-hour races – there, Bathurst as properly – they’re simply brutal races. And all of us are in a barely completely different place to Max. 

„Clearly, we’re additionally pursuing to win a World Championship, however clearly, he’s in an expensive place to do what he enjoys, and that’s nice for him. He did a fantastic job.“

Verstappen’s efforts got here on the wheel of a Mercedes-AMG GT3 automobile, one thing that does little to chill hypothesis that the four-time champion might someday be part of the Silver Arrows in F1. 

Prompt that he might associate Verstappen within the Nurburgring someday, Russell added: „By no means say by no means. Who is aware of? As I stated, by no means say by no means.

„Max is clearly among the finest. I used to be requested lots final yr about being team-mates with him, however extra in System 1 slightly than sharing a seat. I’m up for it and would relish the chance to at all times go towards the very best, and that’s how I felt once I was team-mates with Lewis, and nonetheless how I really feel about Max. As any driver, you need to go head-to-head with the very best.“

For Verstappen, nonetheless, who partnered with skilled endurance racing palms Jules Gounon, Daniel Juncadella, and Lucas Auer, including Russell to his line-up shouldn’t be one thing that he envisages, agreeing that the pair are at completely different locations of their F1 careers. 

„I feel I am additionally in a little bit of a distinct state of affairs,“ stated Verstappen. 

„Championships in F1 and, after all, I competed with my entire GT3 mission, so I feel we’re slightly bit in a distinct place on that. I feel, for him, his focus is in the meanwhile absolutely on F1. 

„But it surely’s cool. Lots of drivers have been texting me and following it, so I feel it is at all times good to see that.“