Toto Wolff eyes Max Verstappen move as George Russell contract clause could be triggered

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Max Verstappen

Toto Wolff eyes Max Verstappen move as George Russell contract clause could be triggered

Might George Russell be booted out the door?

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Monday 8 June 2026 20:14

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Toto Wolff is still after four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen, and could trigger a George Russell exit clause in order to make room for the Dutchman, according to reports in Dutch media.

Mercedes are currently the dominant outfit in the sport, having won the first six grands prix of 2026.

Their teenage star Kimi Antonelli is utterly dominating the drivers' championship after six of 22 races, with a gap of 66 points to Lewis Hamilton in second after back-to-back pointless weekends for team-mate George Russell.

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Verstappen, meanwhile, is down in seventh in the standings, with Red Bull not giving him a car capable of challenging for regular race victories in 2026.

Mercedes team principal Wolff has publicly pursued the services of Verstappen in each of the last two seasons, but this year seems to be the most realistic chance of the four-time champion leaving Red Bull.

Russell and Antonelli signed new contracts at the end of last year, but an exact end date was not given for those new deals.

De Telegraaf are reporting that Russell has an exit clause in his deal, however, and that his performances at the start of this year could put him at risk of that clause being triggered.

Could Russell be replaced by Verstappen for 2027?

Russell has only won one of the first six grands prix of the season, and is currently 68 points behind team-mate Antonelli in the standings.

The Dutch publication are reporting that a continuation of this poor form could see Mercedes opt to trigger an exit option in Russell's contract, as they seek to have the absolute best drivers available in their dominant machinery.

A Russell exit would pave the way for Verstappen, a driver who has been on Wolff's radar for many years.

Verstappen is contracted at Red Bull until the end of 2028, but he's understood to have some exit clauses of his own in the contract, which relate to Red Bull's ability to give him a championship-challenging car.

It remains to be seen where Russell and Verstappen's long-term futures lie.

F1 2026: Which driver contracts expire this year?

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Mercedes George Russell Toto Wolff