George Russell Linked to Aston Martin as Verstappen Rumors Circulate

With the talks of Max Verstappen leaving Red Bull intensifying, a major F1 shakeup could be just around the corner. George Russell is being linked to a possible move to Aston Martin, with one of Lance Stroll or Fernando Alonso potentially leaving the team. Of course, the deal is still very far from confirmed, but the rumors are there.

Both Russell and Toto Wolff have confirmed that talks with Verstappen have taken place, and in a scenario where the deal comes to fruition, a potential move would make sense for Russell for quite a few reasons.

First of all, there’s the fierce rivalry between him and the Dutch superstar that’s been brewing for years, and Russell may not want to play second fiddle or risk becoming the team’s fallback option.

Then there’s Kimi Antonelli, who is already seen as the future for Mercedes after some amazing performances in his rookie season.

Fans like the idea of him being the future of Mercedes and believe his development is already lining up perfectly with the team’s long-term vision. The Italian is seen making a name for himself and constantly climbs the odds boards. F1 fans are now doing most of their betting on offshore betting sites, and Antonelli has quickly become one of the most-watched names on these platforms. Most such platforms agree that Kimi is the seventh most probable winner of the next F1 race, at Spa-Francorchamps, on 27th July. In the same line, Russell is in the sixth place, while Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are the most probable winners.

Of course, that is not to say that Russell’s performances in 2025 have been anything short of amazing. With his reputation and recent form, he has been linked to Aston Martin, which is looking to become a challenger for world championships in the future.

However, for this to happen, the Silverstone-based team would have to sack the current driver, Lance Stroll, who is the son of the team owner Lawrence Stroll. While Lance would still hold a comfortable position in the team, his removal from the full-time seat with Aston Martin would go down as one of the most brutal moves in the sport’s history.

What would make it even harder for Aston Martin to go through with this are Lance Stroll’s performances so far in 2025. He has already scored 20 points this season, which is only 4 points short of his entire 2024 tally.

Another direction in which Aston Martin could go is to sack Fernando Alonso. With the Spaniard now being 43 and his recent performances not being at his previous levels, this move would make more sense.

The team would then plan for the future with 26-year-old Stoll and 27-year-old Russell as their pairing for 2026.

Speaking about his career, Alonso hasn’t ruled out staying in F1 even after the 2026 season concludes. However, with only 14 points from the first 12 races in 2025, the two-time world champion’s numbers are no longer as impressive as they once were. While his experience and racecraft are still among the best on the grid, Aston Martin could decide to build for the future and bring in Russell as his replacement.

Of course, if Mercedes really goes through with Verstappen signing during the summer break, Aston Martin wouldn’t be the only team interested in Russell. They’d likely face stiff competition for Britt’s signature from Cadillac, Red Bull, and Alpine.