George Russell ‘not committed’ to Mercedes F1 team

F1 star George Russell is 'not committed' to his current Mercedes squad according to 1997 F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve.

Russell is without a new deal for 2026, and as it stands, has not confirmed his destination in the sport beyond the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December.

The situation is the same for his struggling rookie team-mate Kimi Antonelli, despite the fact that the pool of experienced racers left for the team to sign is limited.

Russell has excelled in 2025, claiming a race victory and six further podiums, meaning he now sits fourth in the drivers' championship.

Earlier this season however, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff made no secret of his attempts to sign four-time champion Max Verstappen to the Silver Arrows, although the Dutchman has now confirmed that he will be staying at Red Bull for 2026.

The Mercedes team principal has also since declared that both Russell and Antonelli will be given new deals, and that it's only a matter of time before they are official, but with just seven race weekends left in the season, Villeneuve believes Russell is getting involved in an off-track battle that he doesn't need to.

"George Russell is very good," Villeneuve told OLBG. "Out of all the other drivers he's the one that's always showing consistency in getting the result. He's matured a lot. He doesn't seem to be making the mistakes he used to make.

"This season he's really maximising the points he can get with that team and that car."

Assessing the current contract situation at the team however, Villeneuve added: "It sounds like Mercedes are committed to George Russell and now it's him that doesn't want to commit anymore. Because he was annoyed that he had to wait.

"The thing is, who else would Mercedes sign? There's no one available. On the other hand, there's no team available for Russell either. So, it's a pointless battle right now.

"That's the key because everyone knows that Max has one year to go at Red Bull. So, anyone that's not under contract for 2027 is at risk. It's that simple."

Who will race for Mercedes in 2026?

Everything points to the fact that Russell and Antonelli will be Mercedes' driver lineup for 2026.

But it is strange that it has not been officially confirmed, particularly given that 2026 is such a vital season for all teams with wholesale regulation changes sweeping into the sport.

The delay will likely have made both drivers nervous throughout the year, particularly given Wolff's public pursuit of Verstappen, although the team have now pointed to the small details of Russell's contract as the reason for the holdup.

Antonelli's performances have taken a turn for the worse across recent weekends, with the Italian teenager only scoring points at four of the last 11 grands prix.

Even his second-best career finish of P4 at last weekend's Azerbaijan GP was dulled by the fact that he was unable to join Russell on the podium, after the Brit claimed his seventh top-three finish of the season.

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