Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff announces 2026 driver U-TURN live on air

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

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Toto Wolff announces Mercedes 2026 F1 driver U-TURN live on air

Wolff confirmed his 2026 driver lineup at Mercedes

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Tuesday 7 October 2025 08:26

Toto Wolff performed a swift U-turn live on air last weekend when asked to confirm Mercedes’ 2026 F1 driver lineup.

The Mercedes driver contract saga has dragged on throughout this season, into and after the summer break with no official announcement from the team about next year’s driver pairing.

With Max Verstappen committed to Red Bull for 2026, there is little secret that Wolff will retain his current lineup of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, with the Austrian being questioned frequently over when the official confirmation will come.

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These queries were put to Wolff at the Singapore Grand Prix, as Sky Sports F1 Germany's Ralf Schumacher and Peter Hardenacke asked who would drive for Mercedes in 2026.

Initially, Wolff played the question down, and said: “Don't worry, we'll announce it soon.”

However, after further questioning and a pause for thought, Wolff performed a U-turn and decided to announce Russell and Antonelli for next year.

“Both are confirmed,” he clarified.

Russell's domination proves his worth to Mercedes

Russell secured his fifth career victory at the Singapore GP, clinching pole position on Saturday and dominating the race from lights out to the chequered flag.

His masterclass in Singapore marked his eighth podium finish in 2025, where he has proved that in quick enough machinery, he is ready for a title fight.

Elsewhere, Antonelli demonstrated improved pace since leaving the European leg of the calendar, finishing fourth in Baku and fifth at the Singapore GP.

Prior to the last two races, Antonelli had trouble making regular Q3 appearances and suffered several embarrassing crashes, but has appeared to stabilise behind Russell in the remaining rounds of the 2025 season.

Though rumours have persisted over the reason for Russell's contract delay being the length of his new deal, it seems that Wolff is confident he will retain the five-time grand prix winner for at least one more year.

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