George Russell stated he holds “no hard feelings” regarding the rumors connecting Max Verstappen to Mercedes and mentioned he is “in no rush” concerning his own contract discussions to remain with the team.
Neither Russell nor his teammate Kimi Antonelli has had their Mercedes seat for 2026 confirmed yet. Earlier in the year, speculation arose that Verstappen might make a surprising move to Mercedes, especially after Red Bull`s challenging start to the season.
Since that time, Red Bull has improved its performance, closing the gap to McLaren. Verstappen followed his win in Suzuka with another victory at Imola. However, he currently sits third in the Drivers` Championship, 43 points adrift of leader Oscar Piastri.
Last year, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff publicly tried to recruit Verstappen. However, he stated in March, three months prior, that a surprising move for the reigning world champion was “not on the radar.”
It is understood that Verstappen`s contract includes a clause allowing him to leave Red Bull after the current season if, in the unlikely event, he is not among the top four in the Drivers` Championship at the beginning of the F1 summer break, which follows the Hungarian Grand Prix on August 3.
Currently, Verstappen holds a 41-point lead over Charles Leclerc, who is in fifth place. Russell is positioned fourth in the standings.
Russell commented after his win at the Canadian Grand Prix, “There haven`t been any hard feelings concerning any of the discussions circulating, particularly those about Max.”
He added, “As I`ve stated numerous times, why wouldn`t teams be interested in Max? If no driver had a contract for next year, Max would be the top choice for every team, and that`s completely understandable.”
“Ultimately, though, every race team has two seats. I was confident that if I maintained my current performance level, my position wouldn`t be under any threat. So, I feel quite secure.”
F1 Driver Contracts Status
| Expire at end of 2025 | Expire at end of 2026 | Expire at end of 2027 | Expire at end of 2028 |
| Yuki Tsunoda | Lewis Hamilton | Lando Norris | Charles Leclerc** |
| George Russell | Fernando Alonso | Max Verstappen | |
| Kimi Antonelli | Lance Stroll | Oscar Piastri | |
| Franco Colapinto* | Pierre Gasly | **rumoured | |
| Liam Lawson | Esteban Ocon | ||
| Isack Hadjar | Oliver Bearman | ||
| *Number of races unknown | Alex Albon | ||
| Carlos Sainz | |||
| Nico Hulkenberg | |||
| Gabriel Bortoleto |
Russell: “I Am Not Engaged in Talks with Other F1 Teams”
On Monday, reports indicated that Aston Martin has targeted Russell to spearhead their efforts from 2026, even though Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are contracted for the next season.
Speaking before these reports surfaced, Russell maintained that he envisions his future remaining with Mercedes.
He stated, “I am not currently in discussions with anyone else or any teams that have expressed interest.”
“I have been quite clear that my intention is to stay with Mercedes. That has always been my position. I feel loyal to Mercedes; they provided me with the opportunity to enter Formula 1.”
Russell added, “We are not rushing into contract negotiations. We aim to win together, especially now that Kimi and I are teammates.”
“Achieving a result like the one in Canada, with both of us being Mercedes junior drivers, shows we are performing well. Why would you want to alter something that is effective?”
Wolff: Russell`s Contract Status is “All on Plan”
Russell joined Mercedes from Williams in 2022 and has established himself as the team`s primary driver since Lewis Hamilton`s departure at the close of last year.
The 27-year-old driver finished with only two fewer points than Hamilton across their three seasons together as teammates and clearly outperformed the seven-time world champion in their final shared season.
He has maintained this strong performance throughout the current year, securing four podium finishes, including Mercedes` first victory of 2024 at the Canadian Grand Prix.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff commented, “He has been with us for a significant period.”
“He is developing, and the progress he`s shown, from being a young driver at Williams, then joining Mercedes during a challenging phase, matching Lewis`s performance, and now clearly being the senior driver since Lewis`s departure, feels very natural.”
“There isn`t any sense of politics involved; he has simply earned and taken the position he deserves. The atmosphere within the team is excellent, and we have agreed on a timeline for finalizing these matters.”
“With the triple-headers concluding and races following quickly in June and July, we will get to it.”
“He has been a Mercedes junior driver since 2016. His contract isn`t dependent on individual race wins or performance, as we are confident in his capabilities.”
When asked about a new contract for Russell at the premiere of the F1 movie, Wolff simply concluded: “All on plan.”
Martin Brundle on Russell`s “Perfect” Canada Performance and Future
According to Martin Brundle, “Canada saw a perfect performance from George. Pole position, fastest lap, race win – it was quite seamless.”
“When George is leading like that,” Brundle noted, “you don`t question how he`ll handle the pressure. It doesn`t even cross your mind.”
“You know he won`t lock up his brakes or make a trivial error. He`s focused and possesses the necessary speed, consistency, and self-assurance, which was evident again in Canada.”
“We observed last year that he largely had the edge over Lewis. He has thrived in the role of team leader. He`s stepped out of Lewis`s shadow – someone he respectfully still calls `the GOAT` and states he learned from.”
Brundle Explains Why Mercedes May Delay Russell Contract
Brundle offered a perspective: “As former McLaren boss Ron Dennis used to say, `What`s the benefit of making an early decision if you hold the contractual advantage?` It`s somewhat like landing with plenty of runway left – it doesn`t serve you.”
“I suspect Mercedes believes it keeps George motivated. Perhaps they feel, `George is performing well in this environment, so let`s not utilize that leverage prematurely.`”
