George Russell has indicated that Mercedes` continued efforts to sign Red Bull`s Max Verstappen are causing delays in the extension of his current contract, which is set to expire.
Russell has been a standout performer this season, consistently extracting maximum performance from his Mercedes car. His strong results include a recent victory in Canada and four previous podium finishes.
Many in the paddock have expressed surprise that Mercedes has not yet renewed the 27-year-old`s contract, which expires at the end of the season, as does his young teammate Kimi Antonelli`s one-year deal.
Although both Russell and the team have previously downplayed the significance of the unsigned deal, speaking ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend, Russell admitted for the first time that having a contract finalized would “help” him.
When asked about the status of contract talks, Russell stated, “Yeah, a little bit. No major updates yet.”
He added, “It`s not something that I`m pressing massively because, as I`ve always said, the performance is the priority, and I feel with the performance I`m showing at the moment – still in line with the performance I`ve shown over all these years – I`ve got zero reasons to be worried.”
“But obviously, it does help if there was pen on paper. But let`s see.”
Following Lewis Hamilton`s decision to leave Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025, Silver Arrows team principal Toto Wolff openly pursued four-time world champion Verstappen.
While Wolff ultimately signed young Italian driver Antonelli after failing to secure Verstappen, he has since seemed to cool his interest in the Dutchman, stating he won`t “flirt” away from his current strong driver lineup.
However, in a later exclusive interview on Thursday, Russell suggested he believes Mercedes might still be attempting to sign Verstappen from Red Bull.
He commented, “From my side, I don`t think I have anything really to worry about. I think, as a team, it depends where you put your aspirations.”
“We`re second best at the moment, maybe third best. We might be overperforming slightly to be second best.”
“As Mercedes, they want to be back on top, and if you`re going to be back on top you need to make sure you`ve got the best drivers, the best engineers, the best pit crew, and that`s what Mercedes are chasing.”
“So, it`s only normal that conversations with the likes of Verstappen are ongoing. But from my side, if I`m performing as I`m doing, what have I got to be concerned about? There are two seats in every Formula 1 team.”
Russell Explains Contract Delay
It remains uncertain whether Mercedes would consider pairing Russell and Verstappen, particularly given their intense rivalry both on and off the track over the past year, notably culminating in a heated exchange at last year`s season finale in Abu Dhabi.
During his media session on Thursday, without explicitly naming Verstappen, Russell appeared to hint that potential reservations about partnering him with his rival might be a reason for the delay in his contract renewal.
“Toto has made it clear to me that he thinks how I`m performing this year is as good as anybody,” Russell stated.
“I think there`s only one driver that you can debate in terms of performance – these are his words, these are not my words – so that`s why I have no concern about the future.”
“But there`s two seats at every team and I guess he needs to think, who are those two drivers going to be for those two seats, and I guess that`s what the delay is.”
After expressing similar sentiments before his Canadian victory in June, Russell reiterated his confidence in securing a spot on the 2026 grid, whether with Mercedes or another team.
He said, “For sure, I want to be in the seat that`s going to give me the best chance to win, and ultimately, nothing would make me happier than winning with Mercedes because they`re the ones that helped me get my opportunity and I`ve built such a relationship with everybody in this team.”
“But right now, there`s only one thing for me to focus on and that`s driving fast. If you`re driving quick, there`s nothing to worry about. And if you`re not, that`s when people start talking.”
Verstappen: 2026 Not Really On My Mind
Earlier on Thursday in Austria, Max Verstappen was asked about his expectations for driving for Red Bull next season during his media availability before Russell`s.
He responded, “I`ve had that question before as well in my life. I don`t think we need to talk about that. You want me to repeat what I said last year?”
“Again, it`s not really in my mind. I`m just driving, trying to push the performance, and then we focus on next year.”
Verstappen`s immediate future seemed uncertain earlier in the season due to speculation surrounding a potential release clause in his contract, fueling rumors of a possible move to Mercedes or Aston Martin.
However, his secure position within the top four of the drivers` standings – remaining outside of which would have triggered the release clause by the summer break – had largely quieted this speculation.
Russell`s recent comments are likely to reignite discussions on this topic, and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner will likely face questions about it throughout the weekend.
