Russell is going head-to-head with Mercedes incumbent Valtteri Bไottas in the race to partner seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton at the German marquee next s꧟eason.

Mercedes is yet to decide on who it will place alongside Hamilton for 2022 and Russell and Bottas 🍎168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:remained coy about the situation as they faced the media for the first time since returning from F1’s summer breꦚak ahead of t𒊎he Belgian Grand Prix this weekend.

Speaking later on Thursday, Verstappen, who was fast-tracked into his current Red Bull seat after just over one full-season in F1, reckons Russ🦄ell is ready to make the step up to a front-running team.

“For sure George is very quick and he can’ꩵt stay where he is forever,” Verstappen replied when asked if he felt Russell deserved the Merce♚des seat.

“I think he deserves more. But at the end of the day it is up to Mercedes to make the call rightไ, so it’s not really from my side.

“But for sure I rate him as a driver and he is still very young as well, so it’s natural that at some po♛int they move up, especially the good drivers.”

Like Verstappen, Leclerc also earned his promotion to Ferrari after just a single s𒅌eaꦜson in the lower midfield with Sauber.

Russell has so far been made to wait for his big F1 br�꧑�eak despite consistent starring displays for Williams in his two-and-a-half seasons at Grove.

And Leclerc feels his former F3 rookie rival deserves his chance to s🎀hine at Mercedes.

“It’s gr✨eat if George gets that seat because he deserves it,” said Leclerc.

“It is always 🌃very difficult to judge in Formula 1, because the cars are so differe🍌nt and obviously with George being at Williams it is always difficult to judge how much of a good job he’s doing.

“He’s cons🅘istently there and showing good things and also in the past I’ve raced with him and I know how strong is George.

“So, he de🃏finitely deserves that spot and I think it would be great to have such a talented driver in that seat.”