Mercedes driver George Russell expressed surprise at Max Verstappen’s dramatic performance shift between the Hungarian Grand Prix and the recent Italian Grand Prix at Monza, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the 2025 Formula 1 season. Verstappen’s remarkable turnaround underscored the evolving challenges teams face across different circuits.
The Formula 1 season returned from the summer break with Round 14 held at the Hungaroring for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Verstappen’s Red Bull RB21 struggled during the weekend, not meeting expectations, and he ultimately finished ninth behind Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson. This result stood in stark contrast to his usual frontrunner status, leaving the Dutchman over 72 seconds behind race winner Lando Norris of McLaren.
However, at Round 16, the Italian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Verstappen delivered a commanding performance, quickly closing the gap on McLaren’s drivers before securing a dominant victory. Starting from pole position, he controlled the race throughout the 53 laps and crossed the finish line more than 19 seconds ahead of Norris, earning his third win of the 2025 season.
Russell voiced his amazement at Verstappen’s rapid improvement, reflecting on how different the outcomes were just weeks apart. He remarked, via Planet F1:
“It’s a bit of a funny sport at the moment. I’m struggling to comprehend how Verstappen can be 40 seconds off the win in Hungary and then win by 20 seconds here… It’s pretty impressive, I mean, it’s a bit of a funny sport at the moment.”
—George Russell, Mercedes driver
Russell’s perspective on his own performance at Monza
Despite acknowledging Verstappen’s impressive turnaround, George Russell expressed cautious acceptance of his own fifth-place finish at the Italian Grand Prix. After the race, during an interview with F1’s official platform, Russell explained that fifth was the best achievable result for him given the challenges faced by his Mercedes vehicle on the high-speed circuit.
He detailed how difficult it was to overtake Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc due to the rivals’ superior straight-line speed and how this limited his opportunities. Russell said:
“I think it was just very challenging to get by Charles – they were so fast on the straights. Had I just managed to get past him, it could have been a slightly different picture. Obviously, that wasn’t the case.
“It was a pretty scrappy opening few laps, but fifth was where the car deserved to finish today. Obviously, a bit of a shame to lose more ground to Ferrari in the constructors’, but I was pretty satisfied with the race.”
—George Russell, Mercedes driver
Current championship standings and championship outlook
With Round 16 completed, the 2025 Formula 1 season has 24 total events, leaving eight races remaining on the calendar. The Constructors’ Championship remains fiercely competitive, with Russell’s Mercedes team holding third place at 260 points, trailing Ferrari, while Verstappen’s Red Bull team occupies fourth with 239 points.
The recent Italian Grand Prix highlighted the variable performance drivers and teams experience based on track characteristics and car setup, emphasizing the ongoing unpredictability that George Russell referenced. As the season advances toward its final stretch, this unpredictability will continue to influence championship battles and team strategies.
