George Russell Mercedes F1 contract given twist after U-turn

Toto Wolff angrily looks at George Russell — Photo: © IMAGO

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Mercedes contract announcement takes twist after George Russell U-turn

Does Mercedes F1 star George Russell hold all the cards for his contract negotiations?

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Saturday 9 August 2025 18:19

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George Russell is not expecting an announcement over the summer break regarding his Mercedes F1 contract.

After rumours ran wild regarding Toto Wolff's interest in signing Max Verstappen to the Silver Arrows, Russell faced constant questioning over why he is yet to receive a new contract with Mercedes beyond the 2025 season.

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The 27-year-old can now breathe easy after Verstappen confirmed he will be staying with Red Bull for 2026, but neither Russell nor team-mate Kimi Antonelli have had an official contract extension announced.

The British racer signed off the first half of the F1 season on a high note last weekend, claiming his 21st career podium at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Antonelli on the other hand only managed to pick up a single point after crossing the line in P10.

Though the current summer shutdown seems like a perfect time for Mercedes to announce the future of their driver duo, Russell has insisted he feels 'no time pressure' for that to happen.

"There's no time pressure. It will happen, it will happen," the Mercedes star told Sky Sports prior to the summer break, adding: "It's when, not if."

George Russell has the upper hand in Mercedes contract negotiations for now

What is stopping Mercedes from re-signing Russell?

Discussing Russell's complex contract scenario in Hungary, Sky Sports F1 pundit Martin Brundle said: "Performance is everything, there's no doubt about it. They all roughly know what each other earns, so George is not going to want to be underpaid. Why should he be?

"He'll want some certainty. What he won't want to do is find himself in this position again next year if Max Verstappen happens to be on the market.

"If I were managing George, I would have said, 'Don't say you'll drive for nothing' or 'Don't say you'll pay, please, because that's going to come back and hurt us somewhere'."

The former driver continued with his assessment of why Mercedes are yet to announce a new contract for Russell, stating that he believes the situation is now in Russell's favour.

"The cards have turned around, haven't they? Because suddenly George is by far and away the best driver available in the world of Formula 1 who doesn't have a contract next year.

"So now, suddenly, he's like, 'I'm going to slow this down a little bit.' That's how I'm reading it."

The four-time grands prix winner is managed by Mercedes and has frequently denied talking to other teams throughout this year's contract negotiations, yet Brundle's point remains a valid one and the Brit would certainly be an attractive addition to any of Mercedes' rivals should he find a better offer eslewhere.

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