'Russell is ready for a title battle: It’s now time to see what he can do'

Russell was never involved in the title battle between the two McLaren drivers and Max Verstappen, but was always a factor to consider. Aside from the contenders, he was the only driver to achieve race victories in Montreal and Singapore.

In 2025, Russell found himself as the senior driver of the team, with rookie Kimi Antonelli alongside him. While the Italian rookie had more ups and downs, the Briton remained consistent. Russell completed all but two laps of the season, and finished just once outside the points in Monaco after he had a mechanical failure in Q2. After putting together arguably his best season so far, Russell feels ready for the next step.

In an interview with selected media, including GPblog, the Briton already explained his main objective.

He said:"You're either fighting for a championship or you're not, and if you're not, no one ever wants to fight for P2. So I'm ready for it, but I know my time, I have to be patient."

He also added that at the moment he wants to be measured against Max Verstappen, who is the 'gold standard'.

A potential battle between the Mercedes driver and Verstappen would possibly be the best 'match-up' at the moment in the competition. The two share some history, and they are both willing to engage in hard-fought wheel-to-wheel battles as well.

Russell is a driver who takes opportunities with both hands. With the regulation change ahead, 2026 might just be the year he has his first shot at claiming the title.

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