Russell: Verstappen’s calendar ‘whinging’ because he wants more money

Two-time world champion Verstappen is reportedly already the highest-paid driver on the grid and holds the longest contract in F1, which runs until the end of 2028.

Verstappen, who has repeatedly aired his frustrations about sprint format changes and more races being added to the calendar, has admitted he could retire at the end of his current deal - when he will be just 31 years old. 

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix, Verstappen told media including Crash.net that he thinks a record-breaking schedule featuring 24 races next season is “too many for me”. 

“I think he’s whinging because he wants more money!” Russell laughed when he was asked about Verstappen’s views.

“He’s the highest paid on this grid and rightly so for what he’s achieving but even so, I think it’s all a big tactic of his, that threat of retirement. 

“I hope he doesn’t, I hope he stays for as long as I stay because I want to fight against the best drivers in the world. 

“I’m head-to-head with Lewis at the moment and I want to be doing that with Max and Charles etc and I think we’re in a really great place at the moment as a sport.”

Mercedes’ Russell said he doesn’t have an issue with the calendar continuing to expand as long as some of the drivers’ non-racing commitments are reduced. 

“It is challenging, we can’t just keep adding more commitments, more races, there’s got to be a point where if you are adding something somewhere, something has got to be taken off,” he said. 

“Maybe at the moment we’re just adding more races and not having less commitments, so you are just working overtime. 

“I’m sure it’s the same at Red Bull as well but if we didn’t have any other commitments we’d be happy to race every weekend I’m sure.”

Russell added: “I hear Max’s comments all the time but I’m doing what I love and almost more the merrier to a certain extent. 

“We’re the most fortunate, privileged people in the world to be F1 drivers. Of course there’s a huge amount of events and there’s a lot of things that come with it. 

“I’d happily take more races but have less commitments outside of the race weekend. I know obviously Red Bull probably work them quite hard from a marketing perspective. 

“Happy to see the season being a bit more geographical and more efficient for costs and what not. 

“It’s still going to be pretty brutal for all of us, travelling to and from the races, especially the first four races but it’s a work in progress and it’s going in the right direction.”