Russell: "Verstappen is an incredible driver, he doesn't make mistakes"

"Max is an incredible driver, he doesn't make mistakes," Russell began to tell the BBC. The young Briton raced for Williams in recent seasons, but now sees the class of the reigning world champion more closely. He considers Red Bull and not Ferrari to be the big favourites for the world title in 2022. "The Red Bull at the moment does look like the fastest package."

Russell has 111 points after nine Grands Prix. That is a lot less than Verstappen, but the gap to Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc is certainly manageable. "We’re only about 15-20 points away from second in the championship, which is extraordinary to think considering the pace of the car has been about a second behind our rivals. You can only do what you can do and you can’t make miracles happen."

He has finished in the top-five in all competitions this season so far, with three of those nine times allowing him to climb the podium. That consistency means he is still in a relatively good position in the world championship. Verstappen had noticed that too. During Thursday's press briefing in Britain, he let it be known that he wanted to learn from Russell.