Mercedes driver George Russell, who competes against Verstappen on the grid, responded to the retirement threat with a lighthearted remark. Russell jokingly suggested that Verstappen’s comments are simply a tactic to secure a bigger paycheck, given his status as one of the highest-paid drivers in Formula 1.
“I think he’s whinging because he wants more money!” Russell quipped during media discussions at Silverstone. “It’s all a big tactic of his, that threat of retirement. I hope he stays for as long as I stay because I want to fight against the best drivers in the world.”
