George Russell's Mercedes contract saga receives fresh twist

George Russell’s Mercedes F1 deal for 2026 and beyond has received a fresh twist with confirmation of a delay on the final agreement.

The British racing driver has delivered a spectacular season with Mercedes in 2025, stepping up to the role of team leader following Lewis Hamilton’s exit.

Thus far, Russell has achieved a race victory in Montreal and seven podiums, claiming his latest in Baku where he battled a respiratory infection.

Nevertheless, Russell’s contract with Mercedes expires at the end of the 2025 season, with little indication on when a new deal will be finalised.

Team principal Toto Wolff informally confirmed that both Russell and team-mate Kimi Antonelli will race at the team in 2026, but the specifics of the 27-year-old’s contract are still being negotiated.

Why is Russell’s Mercedes deal taking so long?

As the end of September approaches without further contract news, Motorsport.com Italy have reported why Mercedes have not announced Russell for 2026, with the team providing a statement and confirmation of a delay.

"George Russell will, of course, be with us at the start of the next world championship. The delays in finalising the agreement concern the days that each driver must devote to public relations," it read.

Two reasons were also proposed for the delay, with Russell likely asking for a higher salary to reflect his performances over the past two seasons.

Furthermore, the length of the contract will be crucial to the Brit, with rumours that the agreement could be a one plus one deal rather than a two-year term, although it is unclear which party is pushing for this type of agreement.

The report suggests that Russell himself may be interested in a short term contract, in case Mercedes’ performance does not improve when the new regulations are imposed in 2026.

Alternatively, they argue Mercedes could be pursuing a one plus one, with the hope that Max Verstappen will become available and wish to race with the team in 2027, if they are indeed competitive.

Therefore, it seems it is not a question over whether or not Russell will race with Mercedes in 2026, more so the complexities of the deal.

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