F1 boss Toto Wolff reveals huge truth about George Russell contract situation at Mercedes

George Russell

Toto Wolff reveals huge truth about George Russell contract situation at Mercedes

Wait, what?

Chris Deeley Editor

Experienced sports writer covering F1 and other motorsports since 2023

Friday 18 September 2026 20:55

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George Russell's Mercedes future? Don't worry about it, says Toto Wolff. He's actually already signed a contract.

The Mercedes team principal was asked about the contract status of his team's more experienced driver in a recent interview with Austrian outlet oe24, and told them that the paperwork has already been signed – but the team simply didn't put out a big statement on the matter.

It's a little unusual for F1 teams not to make at least a bit of a fuss about locking down their drivers to new deals, especially after months of speculation about the driver in question being replaced by a four-time world champion.

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Much of the early silly season speculation in 2026 – as well as 2025 – saw frequent reports about Russell being pushed out of his seat by an unhappy Max Verstappen, although the Dutchman's new long-term Red Bull contract should quiet that down somewhat for the time being.

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Wolff: We didn't make a fuss about Russell deal

Details about Russell's contract are thin on the ground, whether that's about the length of the deal or his (presumably considerable) renumeration, and Wolff wasn't especially forthcoming.

"That's already happened," he said when asked when the contract would be made official. "We just haven't issued a major statement. There's really nothing more to add."

He was a little more talkative when it came to much-publicised pictures of him and Verstappen off the coast of Sardinia, explaining: "That was completely unintentional. In the age of social media, you can't really hide anymore, and we didn't want to.

"We were splashing around in the water and chatting. But it always feels like someone's swimming next to you with their phone, taking a picture and posting it online. I always find it funny what people worry about."

Verstappen's new Red Bull contract runs through the 2030 season (although, as ever, it includes some opt-out clauses), theoretically taking him off the table for Mercedes or any other team until then.