Mercedes F1 star George Russell in demand as TWO teams look to pry star away

toto wolff, george russell, kimi antonelli, mercedes, graphic — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

George Russell in demand as TWO teams look to pry F1 star away from Mercedes

George Russell has been in demand due to his ongoing contract uncertainty

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Friday 8 August 2025 18:42

George Russell's services are in demand by at least two other F1 teams, according to reports, as uncertainty surrounding Mercedes' 2026 driver lineup fails to dissipate.

Both Russell and his young team-mate Kimi Antonelli are due to be out of contract at the end of this current season and, despite plenty of talk about the possibility of a new deal, neither driver have been officially tied down yet.

That is despite Mercedes' interest in signing Max Verstappen being shut down at the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, when the four-time world champion confirmed he will definitely stay with Red Bull for 2026.

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Russell has constantly reiterated that he is in 'no rush' to get a deal officially signed, while Toto Wolff has said that his priority is to keep both Russell and Antonelli for next season.

Now, however, Sky Sports F1 have revealed that both Aston Martin and the new Cadillac team have expressed an interest in signing the 27-year-old Brit.

Russell has arguably had his best season in the sport of his career so far, sat up in fourth in the drivers' championship with one win and five further podiums to his name from the first 14 grands prix.

George Russell has had a brilliant 2025 so far

Will Russell leave Mercedes?

While the official line from Aston Martin has been that they are happy with both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll as their drivers and that they will keep them until the end of their contracts in 2026, if Russell became available it would surely be a tempting one.

The team have been linked with both Russell and Verstappen - before he announced that he will be staying with Red Bull - but a move for either driver would be more likely to come before 2027, not 2026.

That makes it even more important for Mercedes to show real faith in their in-form British driver, and offer him a long-term contract.

Cadillac were also mentioned by the above publication as being interested in a swoop for Russell.

The American-owned team will join the grid in 2026 as F1's 11th team, and they are looking for an experienced F1 racer to fill at least one of their two seats.

Russell's Mercedes colleague Valtteri Bottas has been the leading contender for one of those two seats, while Sergio Perez, Mick Schumacher and Colton Herta have also all been linked with a move to the new team.

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