Is it time for George Russell to be Mercedes' number two driver?

Could George Russell be destined for the same "number two" role Valtteri Bottas occupied during his years alongside Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes – a loyal wingman who doesn't threaten the team leader's ambitions? This question was posed by former Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner, who has since transitioned to a new career in MotoGP.

Russell has been part of the Mercedes family for nearly a decade, with the company supporting his development as a young driver since 2017. Since 2022, George has been a Mercedes Formula 1 driver, having replaced Valtteri Bottas.

At the start of 2025, many believed Russell would become Mercedes' new team leader, with Hamilton moving to Ferrari and the inexperienced and somewhat uncertain Andrea Kimi Antonelli stepping into his place.

However, since the beginning of the 2026 season, the power dynamic within the team has shifted dramatically. Russell dominated in Australia, but Antonelli has since secured six victories and leads the championship standings, holding a 59-point advantage over George and Hamilton, who is spearheading Ferrari's challenge.

"Is Russell the new Bottas? That's a tough question; let's see how he reacts," Steiner commented on The Red Flags podcast. "But it certainly looks that way. I don't know if George is in that role or not, but it appears so. It really does."

The Italian, however, is confident that Russell could seek a leadership role at another team if he concludes that he isn't receiving equal opportunities compared to Antonelli at Mercedes.

"This is entirely within George's control," Guenther explained. "Evidently, Valtteri was content with his situation, as he stayed there forever. If George isn't happy, then he needs to find something else to do. But that won't be easy, as there are no available seats for next year, perhaps for 2028.

"Maybe George will say to himself: 'I don't want to be the new Valtteri Bottas and drive here for another 10 years, finishing second my whole life. I need to go somewhere else.' But that's up to him, not Mercedes; it's his decision."