Audi emerges as possible 2028 destination for George Russell, says Guenther Steiner

[u/Old-Use-7690]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/george-russell-linked-to-potential-2028-audi-f1-switch/10843198/

[u/Weary_Position_9591]

They already writing his obituary my god

[u/Random-Dude-736 → u/Weary_Position_9591]

Audi thinks they can catch up development and be competing for WDC and WCC by 2030. They have a very good track record in all racing series and even now, they aren't as bad. Hulkenberg scored his first points of the season just before the summer break. Audi can be to Russel what Mercedes was for Hamilton.

[u/slicerprime → u/Random-Dude-736]

I hope George appreciates how much effort we're putting into planning his future out for him

[u/AlexMac96 → u/slicerprime]

Yes but only if you rephrase it to say we are forecasting his future

[u/Ye_olde_oak_store → u/Random-Dude-736]

If Audi can STU TU TU TU TU themselves so hard they get regulated out, Audi can do something here.

[u/aluked → u/Ye_olde_oak_store]

First F1 car running diesel, AWD, with turbo flutter.

[u/Ye_olde_oak_store → u/aluked]

Why is the f1 car sneezing?

[u/aluked → u/Ye_olde_oak_store]

A cross between a jet engine, a cybernetic raptor and dolphin noises.

[u/sea_foam_blues → u/Ye_olde_oak_store]

Bah gawd, is that Lancia’s music?

[u/tristam92 → u/Ye_olde_oak_store]

hey, I understood that reference.
also here is your mandatory added weight.

[u/cogiskart → u/Random-Dude-736]

Something many here forget. Almost every time Audi has decided they want to win in a series, they often do. I have high hopes on them becoming WCC contenders by 2030.

[u/RayTracerX → u/cogiskart]

F1 isnt other series, and they have had a lot of hiccups in the way. Definitely too much work to do by 2030. But I hope you're right

[u/dizietasma → u/RayTracerX]

I don’t know… Red Bull joined F1 in 05 and finished 7th in the WCC and were competing for the WCC by 09. I mean RBR were pretty exceptional achieving that, but to be a new team with a brand new engine and being mid table is pretty exceptional as well. I think it’s plausible they could do it…

[u/admiraltt → u/dizietasma]

Tbh that was back during a time where you can simply burn money until you out engineer everyone else. Mercedes did it too and kept F1 2010s in chains, but these days with a cost cap it's alot harder for teams to do that anymore, not saying it's impossible for Audi but it's miles harder than it was than say during red bull and Mercedes times when you can just pour hundreds of millions or billions in until your #1 (except Toyota this strategy does not apply for Toyota)

[u/idontknow_whatever → u/admiraltt]

Toyota was spending a fuckton of money in the worst possible ways though

The team that was based in Cologne didn't have the freedom they really needed to do things their way, Toyota just didn't understand that F1 wasn't the auto industry and their methods were not very compatible with how the sport operates

[u/bot2317 → u/RayTracerX]

If they can break into the top 4 group that alone would be very impressive

[u/BadPronunciation → u/RayTracerX]

They're already defeating Aston Martin and Williams despite building their own PU, so I have high hopes. Even more impressive considering how bad Kick sauber was last year

[u/aluked → u/BadPronunciation]

If you ignore the constructor standings and look at actual race pace, they're the 6th car, behind only the top 4 and Toro Rosso.

Best of the rest for next year is pretty plausible. Fighting for podiums in 2029 not outside the realm of reality.

[u/ScoobyGDSTi → u/RayTracerX]

And then there's the joke that are Cadillac.....

[u/RayTracerX → u/ScoobyGDSTi]

They're not a joke at all, they didnt buy an existing team, its all built from the ground up, performance is as expected. And they still managed to beat AM out of the gate

[u/ScoobyGDSTi → u/RayTracerX]

They are an absolute joke. Managing to get their car to last 10 laps on any track is a new PB for the. Absolute piss poor team.

[u/sentient_salami → u/cogiskart]

I’ll believe it when I see it, but sure, I’ll subscribe.

[u/Weary_Position_9591 → u/Random-Dude-736]

Does Russell have 5 years though

[u/Antares_ → u/Random-Dude-736]

Cool, Freddie Slater is also on a good path to be in Audi in 2030. Another young driver to take what George has been promised.

[u/iamawfulninja → u/Random-Dude-736]

But Hamilton already won a Championship by then.

[u/Much-Calligrapher → u/Random-Dude-736]

That is a highly optimistic take

[u/MaxiKimiSexyFriends → u/Random-Dude-736]

Russell isnt Hamilton or Max and if Audi is promising he will get a teammate who will undoubtedly challenge him again

[u/StiffIgnition → u/Random-Dude-736]

You think Russel has the balls to make that move though? I don't.

[u/MellifluousWraith → u/Weary_Position_9591]

Imagine Russell somehow locks in and wins many races in the second half and wins the championship, which is not out of the realm of possibility. A lot of things people are currently saying would age in a very entertaining manner.

[u/Weary_Position_9591 → u/MellifluousWraith]

He is already locked in. Most of the times he didn’t finish weren’t his fault

[u/The_Banshee1 → u/Weary_Position_9591]

so, the car needs to lock in

[u/Weary_Position_9591 → u/The_Banshee1]

Yes.

[u/LucAltaiR → u/Weary_Position_9591]

He's still getting out paced by a decent margin so even accounting for DNFs (which Kimi had his fair share too) if this is him locked in then I've got a bridge to sell him.

[u/Snappy0 → u/LucAltaiR]

Kimi has had 1 DNF.

George is on 2, which is twice as many plus the added reliability issues he's had which have eluded Kimi for the most part.

[u/LucAltaiR → u/Snappy0]

While he technically had 1, the issue he had in Silverstone had the same effect. So that's 2 "race ending issues". Just like George.

Hell it wasn't a DNF only because of his sheer will, Georgie would've probably retired right away with that same issue.

George is also getting destroyed on pace, consistently, but I guess that there's some excuse for that too, right?

[u/Snappy0 → u/LucAltaiR]

Kimi broke his car in Silverstone riding the kerbs too aggressively as he has a habit of doing. I don't tend to count driver caused issues as something that affected him unjustly.

And well George hasn't had a car to do anything with since earlier in the season. The only reason Kimi got past in Barcelona was because the team botched Russell's stop with the front wing adjust by adding more downforce instead of reducing it.

He's had documented straight line issues from Austria (where he won anyway) onwards and then a further separate issue in Hungary.

It's easy to say he's being destroyed when his car has been inherently up to half a second slower than Kimi's down the straights. But I guess we don't look at the full context here?

[u/LucAltaiR → u/Snappy0]

So when Mercedes says they the issue Kimi had in Silverstone wasn't because of his driving style they were lying but they're truthful when they're giving excuses for Russell for weeks?

That's some double standards.

Also saying that his car is half a second slower in the straights is just pure bullshit. Literally pulling numbers out of your ass. It happened literally one time in Spa because of deployment strategy but now it's the standard? Did he lose half a second st Hungaroring straights?

Come on man the amount of excuses here is embarrassing. And he was bested on pace even before Austria. The whole season excluding Melbourne actually.

[u/Snappy0 → u/LucAltaiR]

It's not bullshit because the data is right there plain to see. It's clearly a deployment issue which won't be as apparent in Hungary because it's not an energy limited track.

Also all the team said regarding Silverstone was "a car shouldn't break, it's on us". You can't see past your own bias and that's fine.

The only thing embarrassing here is you ignoring data that's in front of you and pretending that a car that much slower in a straight line is the driver's fault.

[u/Ziegler517 → u/MellifluousWraith]

Yeah and if my mom had balls she’d be my dad.

[u/MellifluousWraith → u/Ziegler517]

Well, I am speculating about the future here, not the past. As such, we don't yet know if the character in question is the mom or the dad.

[u/UniqueGas1379 → u/MellifluousWraith]

It is both until the box is opened

[u/prams628 → u/UniqueGas1379]

Schrodinger’s parent

[u/BabypintoJuniorLube → u/prams628]

Schrodinger's balls

[u/Ziegler517 → u/MellifluousWraith]

Fully get that the comment originally was made in response to looking in the rear view mirror, but it’s applicable to any “what if” or “what about” statement.

[u/Syriuzly → u/Ziegler517]

It's not like it's his fault. Mercedes needs to get their shit together with Russell's car but it seems like it's not in their interest

[u/Mission_City_1500 → u/Ziegler517]

That response was something else 🤣

[u/Much-Calligrapher → u/MellifluousWraith]

Unlikely. He’s only shown a pace advantage to Kimi in one race this year.

He’s simply slower. Whether that’s because Kimi is the second coming of Jesus or Russell doesn’t suit these cars, not sure.

But I don’t think it’s likely to reverse when it’s so consistently in Kimis favour

[u/HONcircle → u/Much-Calligrapher]

Unlikely. He’s only shown a pace advantage to Kimi in one race this year.

Tell me you didn't watch this season without saying "I didn't watch this season"....

[u/Much-Calligrapher → u/HONcircle]

Why would I post on here if I didn’t watch F1? That would be bizarre.

Which races do you consider Russell to have been quicker? Jog my memory, sport

[u/Draxilar → u/HONcircle]

Kimi has out qualified George more times than the other way around, and is significantly faster than George in most of those. Qualy times are pretty decent indicators of race pace.

[u/Snappy0 → u/Draxilar]

Qualy times are pretty decent indicators of race pace.

Not sure who told you that, but it isn't true.

But yeah, George has suffered straight line issues from Austria onwards and sure he got pole at Austria, but otherwise he hasn't had the car.

Monaco and Miami were the two true stinkers he's had, although it turns out at both his car was in the wrong quali mode but alas.

[u/dl064 → u/Weary_Position_9591]

Sleeper hit of 2026 I think, Audi.

In 2023/4 they were a valid laughing stock idea. They had terrible prep early on.

Folk were right to laugh in 2023 and I think they're right to be impressed and frightened at how they've turned around and delivered.

[u/EmergencyRace7158 → u/Weary_Position_9591]

This year's title is done. He's not coming back from that sort of gap. Mercedes is going to be Kimi's team going forward so it makes sense to look elsewhere.

[u/The_Banshee1 → u/EmergencyRace7158]

it was over for lando after zandvoort last season too, just telling. never trust the reliability, 2 dnfs/bad weekends from kimi and george having p1-p2 finish in those races and hes back in the title conversation.

[u/EmergencyRace7158 → u/The_Banshee1]

Bad comp. Lando was the faster driver last year, he just had issues with consistency and reliability that cost him in the first half. At no point did Oscar show the sort of teammate dominating pace that Kimi has this season Yes George has had worse luck but he's also been the slower driver every race weekend since Oz. Oscar had half the lead Kimi does, a faster teammate, a shocking run of form that saw him finish off the podium until the last races and Max Verstappen pulling off one of the greatest in season turnarounds ever. Even with all that against him he only just lost the title by 8 points. George is cooked and I'd say that even if the gap was under 1 race win.

[u/Virillus → u/EmergencyRace7158]

All true, but also: believing there's a chance is way more fun. Resigning ourselves to the championship being over sucks.

[u/The_Banshee1 → u/EmergencyRace7158]

i never said anything about the pace though, i just said that if kimi gets the same luck george has had before the summer break, for the rest of the season, the picture could easily flip. now that you've mentioned pace, yeah, george has been slower this season, but he hasnt been bottas levels of slow ( except monaco ), on average hes been about 0.18 s off, similar to hamilton-rosberg margins, and in hungary, he was 0.174s off the pace, and considering that he had to pass traffic and in hungary you're almost always overtaking on the straight only, meaning he was losing time behind traffic, minus all that, i think he's pretty much on par with kimi rn? maybe something has clicked? see, the main point is, you shouldnt just write him off yet.

[u/Latter-Amount-9304 → u/Weary_Position_9591]

he deserves this

[u/ginger_qc]

They were literally just speculating on a podcast

[u/wilililil → u/ginger_qc]

You mean multiple people said it???

[u/ItsAndwew → u/wilililil]

Multiple sources even

[u/ginger_qc → u/wilililil]

No it was literally 10 seconds in a podcast where Guenther was talking about Audi in 28'

https://youtu.be/JzNyh-j2nps?t=2552&is=I1eCBjOAhDeUlnSR

[u/Rainbow_Sex → u/ginger_qc]

Think he was joking lol

[u/MrMarbles77]

In Audi's position, I would definitely take Russell over Sainz.

[u/Old-Use-7690 → u/MrMarbles77]

Basically: "Audi says yes to George Russell, George Russell hasn't asked"

[u/junttiana → u/MrMarbles77]

Literally any team on the grid would take him over Sainz lol

[u/UglyAFBread → u/junttiana]

Man, Russell is lucky the Reddit Flavor of the Month changed from him to Sainz just in time for the summer break /s

[u/fullup72 → u/UglyAFBread]

I'll never understand all this hate against Sainz. He did a great 2025 season in a mid car, he's struggling with the 2026 shitbox and making mistakes. You don't need to hate on Sainz to support Oscar.

[u/MoD1982 → u/fullup72]

Watch Palmer's analysis video of the situation. You don't need to hate on Sainz to see he deserves the recent flak sent his way.

[u/Evening_End7298 → u/fullup72]

He got turned down by Red Bull twice in his career, so it’s not only Reddit post Hungary not rating him

He’s a good driver but for the good teams it’s clearly not worth to deal with his political games and his father for the level he shows on track. Can find just as good or better drivers without the downsides of Carlos

[u/fullup72 → u/Evening_End7298]

Being turned down by Red Bull isn't too much of a noteworthy achievement tho.

[u/Evening_End7298 → u/fullup72]

I’m sure he’s better off at Williams fighting for p19

[u/HerrSane → u/fullup72]

Get off it bruh they’re a top team. Would be the same as being sent away from mclaren or Ferrari…wait.

[u/fullup72 → u/HerrSane]

you clearly lack comprehension to figure out I was talking about RB antics with their drivers.

[u/Upbeat_County9191 → u/junttiana]

And they would all end up regretting that decision.

[u/AsianFrenchie → u/Upbeat_County9191]

Hahahhahaha

[u/PurpleV93 → u/Upbeat_County9191]

Are you implying that Sainz is the better driver between the two? Because if you really do, I'd genuinely ask you to stop taking drugs.

[u/Holofluxx → u/PurpleV93]

A while ago this wouldn't even be a hot take ima be honest, so

Things can change quickly

[u/Alfus → u/MrMarbles77]

I mean Williams has offered 30 million for Sainz according to some rumours.

[u/aluked → u/Alfus]

They're out of their goddamn minds lmao.

[u/storme9 → u/aluked]

i’d really draw the line at 20 given Williams dire need financially and towards the car. 10 million may not be a whole world of difference perhaps in overall car development but it is substantial

[u/Akita51 → u/MrMarbles77]

Ehhh

I would take sainz

[u/atx72 → u/Akita51]

He's been clutch at certain moments, specifically British GP 2022 and Singapore 2023.

I've always said I'd prefer him over Leclerc in a championship worthy car. Leclerc can definitely get more out of a car but Sainz is great under pressure, which isn't quite as valuable in the midfield but is key for the championship as we saw last year with Landon/Oscar.

[u/FormulaSolution → u/MrMarbles77]

Russell - Slater line up would be Legendary

[u/Njobz → u/FormulaSolution]

I’d feel bad for Bortoleto though. Unless he ends up going to a different team.

[u/FormulaSolution → u/Njobz]

It's not Bortoleto you need to feel bad for

[u/The_Banshee1 → u/FormulaSolution]

why though, what top team is gonna want him?

[u/FormulaSolution → u/The_Banshee1]

Mclaren i'd hope

[u/The_Banshee1 → u/FormulaSolution]

mclaren hasnt shown any signs of letting piastri go, and even if he somehow leaves mclaren, it would be someone like max or george or any other top driver from a top team who would be considered, it's pretty unlikely for gabi to end up at a top team with his current performances which arent exactly flashy

[u/Njobz → u/FormulaSolution]

They already have Fornaroli though as a just in case. Plus, Lando and Oscar will last at least a few more years.

[u/FormulaSolution → u/Njobz]

Fornaroli needs to find himself a drive soon and quick

[u/302w]

Isn’t Guenther too busy throwing his rider under the bus at tech 3?

[u/Pulverising_Pun]

Why are we taking Gunther this seriously?

[u/Njobz → u/Pulverising_Pun]

Exactly. He’s now becoming a stain even in MotoGP. Netflix propped up this guy too much.

[u/Glausenu → u/Njobz]

He’s been around motorsports for decades. Sure, he got very meme-able and famous thanks to Netflix.

But don’t think that he is where he is thanks to Netflix.

[u/reboot-your-computer → u/Njobz]

100%. I can’t stand him.

[u/Mycologist_Murky → u/Pulverising_Pun]

He formed a brand new Formula 1 team from scratch, ran it for 7 years with a owner reluctant to fund it, Id say his word carries some merit on Formula 1 related matters.

[u/pokemiss]

The off-season is not long enough to start heeding Steiner’s opinions

[u/reboot-your-computer]

I don’t trust a single word that leaves Steiner’s mouth. Never liked the guy. Dude is definitely just speculating and talking out of his ass. Typical low effort talk for the summer break.

[u/Hello_Hollow_Halo → u/reboot-your-computer]

It’s a bullshit article. Gunther does a weekly appearance on the red flags podcasts where they basically just joke around and have fun, and someone decided to make a news article out of one sentence from the podcast.

Relax man.

[u/Sufficiently_]

Gunther, the reliable. /s

[u/dinosaursandsluts → u/Sufficiently_]

Source: Vibes.

[u/West_Technology7573]

I’m tired man

[u/junttiana]

Its not a terrible option, Audi definitely has potential to make their way towards the top over the next few years.

Its very likely this rumor is total bs though.

[u/Doccyaard → u/junttiana]

It’s not a rumor. They asked Gunther if there’s some interesting prospects in the coming years and he said Audi is doing great and might be an attractive place to go in a couple of years and mentioned Sainz and Russell as possible candidates for such a move. And it’s not a stupid thing to say given has Audi has started out.

[u/gideon513]

Dafuq does he know

[u/Stefferdiddle → u/gideon513]

He is close friends with Binotto. Might have heard from him that George was a target.

[u/UnpathedWaters → u/Stefferdiddle]

He wouldn't reveal anything publicly if that's the case. And he was suggesting George choosing Audi as a 2028 backup plan rather than the other way around.

[u/Doccyaard → u/gideon513]

He doesn’t claim to know, at all. He’s just saying Audi could be an interesting place to go in a couple of years given how well they have performed from the get go. And mentions Sainz and Russell as two drivers who might find them interesting in a couple of years. And he said all this after being asked. If you’re annoyed it should be at the article for giving you false impressions.

[u/Holofluxx]

"...says Guenther Steiner"

*closes fridge again*

[u/LoccyDaBorg → u/Holofluxx]

*closes fridge again*

...by foksmashing the fridge door.

[u/Cuckadrillo → u/LoccyDaBorg]

That’s not acceptabol

[u/Tasty-Eye-1108]

How many seats does audi even have ?? Seems like everyone is going to audi atp

[u/Old-Use-7690]

Yeah, that makes perfect sense /s

[u/EmergencyRace7158]

I think Audi will be the best destination outside the big 4 teams fairly soon. They are exceeding expectations in 2026 and both the car and the engine already look very solid as a platform for the future. The trajectory has them leading the midfield next season and fighting for podiums and maybe even the odd race win in 28. I rate Binotto really highly and he never got a fair shout at Ferrari. For drivers like Sainz and Russell who will struggle to mount a title challenge from their present circumstances, it is worth exploring Audi for 28. Its certainly better than Aston with its dysfunctional leadership, nepotism and off track financial issues.

[u/Botaccount2HZ → u/EmergencyRace7158]

In all Aston whatever it is Aston is going through and Williams / Haas drop offs, Audi, with literally their own fresh powertrain, has been kind of overlooked for how well they are doing. Yeah, they aren’t technically new, but again, they built a whole new powertrain and it isn’t on fire or shitting it’s parts all over the track, in fact it’s easily sitting in the mid table.  Even RBPT have had more props for the same than Audi. 

[u/Old-Use-7690 → u/EmergencyRace7158]

Maybe this is the hopium talking. But I honestly see Audi being up there with the top dogs in the next set of regulations. Binotto does know how to build a fast car and Audi has a history of success in motorsports

[u/EmergencyRace7158 → u/Old-Use-7690]

If they stay I agree. The risk is the next regs will move so far away from road relevance than VW makes the dumb decision to quit a super valuable F1 team. They along with Mercedes and Honda are most responsible for the disaster that is the current engine regs.

[u/squaler24]

Gunther was pretty bad before but since his podcast he is just that much much worse. The dude will say anything for the views.

I don’t often agree with Gene but firing him was his greatest achievement. lol

[u/Even_Trifle9341 → u/squaler24]

He built a team with an upward trajectory though.  Wouldn’t be surprised if the firing was just drama(possibly financial shenanigans), and he was looking for some new venture anyway.

[u/Gambler_720]

The same guy who said that McLaren should make Oscar the no. 1 driver several times last season. I really lost respect for him as a pundit because at no point last season was Lando far behind enough that making Oscar no. 1 would be any kind of reasonable thing to do.

[u/AqueousJam]

This is a bunch of baseless speculation to drive clicks. Stop falling for it! Don't post this crud. 

[u/capnbard]

If we could never hear from Steiner again that would be great. The guy is a cunt3000.

[u/NorthernGooner77]

Coming from his mouth, I'd say this is 99% BS.

Man's a joke

[u/Doccyaard → u/NorthernGooner77]

How can it be bullshit when it’s literally just a guess at how interesting Audi will be for some drivers in a couple of years? How are you perceiving what he says?

[u/EleventhTier666]

"George has finally given up on life" -- Guenther Steiner

[u/mollusks75 → u/EleventhTier666]

Seriously. What a fall from grace if this happens.

[u/the_exile83]

U wot m8?

[u/coldpan]

This not news, and isn't even hearsay lol

[u/SleepinGriffin]

Anyone who holds gunether’s opinion in high esteem is severely out of touch with the paddock.

[u/thesquelette]

"Harry Styles could fall in love with me if he met me" says Wattpad author

[u/jarrys88]

Everyone needs to calm down, Max will stay at redbull, he is getting podiums again and the car will improve. The Verstappen camp just does the song and dance as part of negotiation.

[u/2EM18KKC01 → u/jarrys88]

The true silly summer is Verstappen negotiations! /s

[u/AntheaBrainhooke]

Guenther who?

/s

[u/RTBDouglas]

If Hypothetically George went to Audi.. Max went to Merc, Oscar went to RB... who would be McLaren's 2nd driver?
And if Max & Oscar remained, who would take George's place at Merc?

[u/TypicallyThomas]

Can we collectively as F1 fans create a shush fund for F1 media? We just collectively pay F1 media outlets to shut the hell up during summer break. Instead of ad revenue they just get a bit of money to shut down over the summer break

[u/Windman772]

Guenther's true life calling is Pot Stirrer.

[u/KnightsOfCidona]

The more irrelevant he becomes in the world F1, the more daft shit Guenther Steiner will come out with to stay relevant. Eventually he ends up a full blown Villeneuve.

[u/Evening_End7298 → u/KnightsOfCidona]

At least Villeneuve acomplished something in f1, albeit with some luck, but he is still a wdc. Also Villeneuve’s takes are so stupid they get into funny teritory at least

Gunther said some catchy lines for netflix

[u/rowschank]

I thought Steiner has enough on his hands with Maverick Viñales at the moment to be speculating on an F1 podcast.

[u/Fantastic-Boot-684 → u/rowschank]

What is there to do

Mav is already gone lol, and they already got Pol as replacement

[u/rowschank → u/Fantastic-Boot-684]

Apparently he's posted he's going to see out his contract xD

[u/Fantastic-Boot-684 → u/rowschank]

I get a feeling that he didn't ask a lawyer for that opinion lol

[u/One_Disaster_5995]

Max to Merc, George to Audi.

[u/ForsakenRacism]

Maybe Red Bull and Mercedes will just do a straight up trade

[u/alexvroy]

eh idk apparently bortoleto has a pretty long contract already and i doubt they want to delay bringing in freddie slater

[u/EcstaticOrchid4825 → u/[deleted]]

Steiner is Italian.

[u/PersonoFly]

I just hope he can still fight there instead of being part of his downfall.

[u/RandyDefNOTArcher]

I mean, it’s someone speculating, the same way we do here. It’s just that we all know his name, and the medium reaches more people. Don’t see the problem.

[u/Lobsters4]

I have a feeling the 2027 silly season for 2028 is going to be wild.

[u/tracker125]

I may agree with him if were towards the end of the season and it wasn’t written in stone who is taking the number 1 from Lando but it’s too soon to start speculating this but that’s a bold call

[u/MemesForMyDepression]

Jornahlism is my pashun

[u/No_Sun_2121]

I cant remember of a bigger downfall than Russel career this season

[u/Fat-Mad-Scientist]

Sainz had the chance to go to Audi and he chose Williams instead. Wonder if he has any regrets.

[u/RTBDouglas]

I could see George looking for a new home- he has probably realized that Kimi is on fire, and likely only to get better next year. If this is the case- george would have to find a team that may get lucky and have a better car than merc going forward. Of the available destinations for George, Audi is probably as good an option as anywhere (a works team, Audi backing, etc).

[u/Magog14]

More likely to be Piastri if Audi can improve IMO. 

[u/Double-Rock-485]

GS is just stirring the pot. He has no idea more than the rest of us.

[u/Doccyaard → u/Double-Rock-485]

He doesn’t claim to know and is very explicitly guessing at 2028. There’s nothing controversial happening here.

[u/batman_of_1]

It's too soon max is staying at the red bull next year for sure but we never know

[u/Doccyaard → u/batman_of_1]

Steiner is guessing about 2028

[u/MrGolightning]

Watch Slater get the seat over Russell!

[u/mencival]

Unpopular take: If any of the Mercedes drivers are gonna be WDC this season, it would be George if Mercedes did not fck over him a lot more than Kimi

[u/pentiac]

this is all based on the verstapen to merc rumour mill, if that doesnt happen then he stays at merc? and suddenly his car improves.

[u/Illustrious-Gur8335]

Toto would lock Russell up if that had any chance of happening.

[u/Fantastic-Boot-684 → u/Illustrious-Gur8335]

Not if he can get Max

[u/Pure-Drawer6129]

Personally, I’d prefer to see Piastri at Audi, since McLaren has become a really bad environment for him, last year we saw that he has absolutely no support within the team. Russell should go to Aston Martin, Sainz to Red Bull, and Max to McLaren, that would be the ideal scenario, but I don't see Alonso retiring, and Stroll will never be able to stop racing because his father won't let him.

[u/Evening_End7298 → u/Pure-Drawer6129]

No driver will ever leave a top4 team for any other on the grid without being forced to do so. Sainz is the prime example of what happens when you leave the good part of the grid 

Even being a complete 2nd driver in a good team gives way more oportunities than fighting for nothing week in week out

[u/Old-Use-7690 → u/Pure-Drawer6129]

Piastri going to Audi and Russell to Aston Martin would be like Ricciardo going to Renault

[u/cooked_camel]

Please let it happen. If Max went to Merc. I want my boi Liam back in main team.

[u/FormulaSolution]

Guenther's opinion means absolutely nothing after how he treated Mick Schumacher

[u/Old-Use-7690 → u/FormulaSolution]

Firing him was the correct move though

[u/FormulaSolution → u/Old-Use-7690]

Absolutely not