Russell would understand if Verstappen leaves F1: 'He's ticked all the boxes'

[p]Speaking to reporters via a video call on Friday, on what would have been a Saudi Grand Prix weekend but ‌for the cancellation of April Middle Eastern races due to the Iran war, the Mercedes driver said his old rival's ‌current frustration was "only natural".[/p][p]Red Bull's four-times world champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/verstappen-max/UV3mgeXB/"]Verstappen[/a] has been a vocal critic ‌of the new rules and engines, and what he calls "anti-racing", and has said he will be doing "stuff that makes ‌me smile" in the downtime before F1's next race in Miami in May.[/p][p][b]"Formula 1's ‌bigger than any driver,"[/b] said [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/russell-george/xxF56RaN/"]Russell[/a] when asked if he felt there was a danger Verstappen could decide he'd had enough. [b]"(But) you wouldn't want to lose Max because I think we all enjoy racing against Max."[/b][/p][p][b]"You ‌do understand and recognise the frustration, but he's achieved what ⁠most drivers dream of, winning a championship. He's got ‌four of them. And at the end of the day, I guess you get to a point ​in life that you want, there's not really much more for him to achieve in Formula 1. He's ticked all the boxes. [/b][/p][p][b]"Maybe he can go after the records ​but knowing him as I do and knowing drivers who have won or achieved similar things, at one point you want to do what puts a smile on your face."[/b][/p][embed guid="1c62747d-24d0-40f8-a2c1-b1aa546b717d" url="https://x.com/evrythngformu1a/status/2045125441342554478" social-type="twitter" /][p]Verstappen is racing a ​Mercedes GT3 sports car in qualifiers at the Nurburgring Nordschleife this weekend as he works towards competing in a 24-Hour endurance race at the circuit next month.[/p][p]"The Nurburgring is a special place. There’s no other track like it," the 28-year-old Dutch driver said in March. "The 24h Nurburgring is a race ‌that’s been on my bucket list for a long time, so I’m really thrilled we can make it happen now,"[/p][p]Russell, who has driven many laps of the historic 'Green Hell' track, said it would put a smile on anyone's face.[/p][p]"I would love to have that chance to go and race around the Nordschleife," he said.[/p][p][b]"But my goal now is to become a Formula 1 world champion. If I have four of them under my belt, I'd probably be doing the same (as Verstappen). He's in a very different stage of his career, and I think you'd understand if he stayed and you'd understand if he went."[/b][/p][p]Verstappen has been linked to Mercedes in the ‌past, either as Russell's teammate or replacement, and he and the Briton have had an at ​times explosive rivalry.[/p][p][b]In the past, the Dutch driver has been dominant while Russell struggled ‌with a 'porpoising' car that was hard - and painful - to drive. The Briton observed that the cars in previous years were big and heavy but Verstappen was not complaining then because he was winning.[/b][/p][p]Russell, who won the season-opening race in Australia and is second in the standings after Italian teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antonelli-andrea-kimi/ptGu0mT1/"]Kimi Antonelli[/a] won the next two races, said his was a ⁠multi-year deal and he was sure to remain ⁠at Mercedes next season.[/p][p]Verstappen is ninth ‌with a highest finish of sixth and one retirement in the three races.[/p]