Fernando Alonso has labelled George Russell a future Formula 1 world champion with the two exchanging race helmets after the Monaco Grand Prix.

Russell is seen as one of the bright young names in the sport at the moment and he underlined those credentials with a fine drive last year when he got the opportunity to get behind the wheel of Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes.

Indeed, he has regularly outperformed the Williams car during his time there and, as well as that, his team-mate Nicholas Latifi, with many suggesting that it is only a matter of time before he makes it to the Mercedes seat on a more full-time basis.

The progression won't stop there in the mind of Fernando Alonso, though, with him labelling Russell a future world champion in a message that he wrote on the side of his race helmet with the two exchanging their lids after the completion of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend:

Certainly, it's a top gesture from the two-time world champion and if someone as good as Alonso thinks you've got talent then you must be doing something right.

Russell has again shown skill this season at the wheel of his Williams and he'll be pushing as hard as possible to get noticed for a seat higher up the field for 2022.

Whether that is a Mercedes seat, though, remains to be seen.