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

Former Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner believes George Russell is already exploring options outside of Mercedes, suggesting the British driver could be evaluating a potential switch to Audi for the 2028 F1 season.

Despite holding a seat at Mercedes, Russell's future at the Brackley outfit has become a topic of debate following the impressive performance of his teenage team-mate Kimi Antonelli.

The Italian became the youngest driver to lead the drivers' championship after back-to-back wins in China and Japan and has since gone from strength to strength. Heading into the summer break, Antonelli leads the standings with 219 points. He is followed by Lewis Hamilton with 169 points and Russell with 160 points.

During an appearance on The Red Flags Podcast, Steiner suggested that the internal dynamic at Mercedes is already pushing Russell to consider his options for the future. In addition to his battle with Antonelli, Russell could also be feeling the pressure from the growing speculation linking four-time champion Max Verstappen to Mercedes.

While Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has confirmed he would like to retain his current driver line-up for 2027 and Russell has also reaffirmed his commitment to his team, Steiner argued that Russell could look at Audi for 2028. 

"There’s a lot of interest from drivers to go to Audi for 2028," he said. "For next year they are pretty set, but there is maybe a possibility in 2028 at Audi.

George Russell, Mercedes

Photo by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images

"That's quite an interesting place because they're making good progress. It seems to be on track, what they are doing. I think there would be quite a few candidates. Carlos [Sainz] for sure.

"I think George is also looking around now, knowing that he’s now with Kimi. He doesn't want to stay with Kimi for the rest of his life, because there he knows where he is for the rest of his life. So, he is trying to find new opportunities."

Audi completed its full takeover of Sauber at the start of the 2026 season, securing Mattia Binotto and former Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley in leadership roles. It has been developing its power unit since 2022. Audi boasts the backing of an automotive powerhouse in the form of the Volkswagen Group, which has invested heavily in the outfit, providing the resources and technical know-how necessary to build a championship-contending operation from the ground up. 

Of course, none of this means Russell is leaving Brackley for rival German soil, but a works Audi seat in 2028 would at least give Russell a project he could own rather than a throne he's currently fighting to defend.