George Russell’s ongoing contract extension talks with Mercedes are for a multi-year deal, which could heighten the possibility of the Brit being paired with Max Verstappen in the future.
Russell’s future has been subject to speculation over recent months with Mercedes delaying rewarding the 27-year-old, whose current contract expires at the end of this year, with a new deal amid their attempts to poach Verstappen from Red Bull.
However, with Verstappen appearing highly likely to remain with Red Bull for at least the 2026 season following Christian Horner’s sacking as team principal, Mercedes chief Toto Wolff hinted – during an interview with Sky Sports F1 at the Belgian Grand Prix – that a new deal for Russell could be agreed before the summer break, which follows this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
Sky Sports News understands that the prospective extension would be a multi-year deal, which would tie Russell to the team until at least the end of the 2027 season.
With the season just past its halfway stage, Russell has delivered his most complete F1 campaign to date, dragging the most out of Mercedes’ inconsistent W16 to claim a victory and four further podium finishes.
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George Russell feels confident about his future at Mercedes, saying his contract discussions are moving forward, and that he ‘has no doubts’ about his place in Formula 1 next year
Asked whether he believed the contract delay was making Russell perform better, Wolff told Sky Sports F1: “As a driver, he’s so mature and stable that I don’t think that makes any difference on performance.
“On the contrary, I would wish to have him in a safe place a little bit earlier. We haven’t managed to do that but I’m optimistic that he’s going to sleep well over the summer break.”
While Wolff suggests he is committed to both Russell and his current team-mate Kimi Antonelli for the 2026 season, a prospective multi-year deal for the Brit keeps alive the possibility of him being paired with four-time reigning world champion Verstappen at a later date.
Many view the pairing as unrealistic due to an uncomfortable relationship between the pair that has seen them clash in an extraordinary fashion both on and off track in recent times.
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George Russell takes a dig at Max Verstappen after beating him to take pole in Montreal
Wolff, as he has done previously, refused to rule out the pairing for the future and compared it the legendary combination of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost at McLaren in the late 1980s.
“This [Russell and Verstappen pairing] is all more in the, let’s say, long-shot, far-fetched,” Wolff said.
“Because I want to stay with Kimi and George as it stands, everything else is not realistic.
“But obviously [if] you have a Russell-Verstappen line-up that’s Prost-Senna I guess, no?”
‘Russell triggered the media avalanche’
Russell created something of a media frenzy at the Austrian Grand Prix in June by revealing – during an interview with Sky Sports F1 – that he believed his contract was being delayed because Mercedes were talking to Verstappen.
Until that point, Mercedes had played down the suggestion that Russell’s contract extension was being delayed by anything other than standard negotiation points.
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Speaking to Sky Sports, George Russell admits it’s normal for Mercedes to have chats with other drivers, but is unconcerned following his strong performance this season
Wolff rejected Sky Sports F1 pundit Martin Brundle’s suggestion that the situation was “embarrassing” for Russell, offering an alternative explanation for his driver’s decision to make more details of the situation public.
“I think it’s more that you guys (the media) make a lot of pressure and because it’s an interesting topic it’s completely normal,” he said.
“I think he’s triggered the whole media avalanche. I’m sometimes maybe naïve, but I try to be transparent with the drivers, and I said to him, ‘listen, I have the obligation of exploring what Max is going to do in the next few years.’
“And I think he just came out with it wanting to show, ‘I’m aware of what’s going on, there’s nothing happening behind my back.’ And I’m fine with that.”
What does Mercedes managing Russell mean?
Russell’s options during the saga have been limited by the fact that as well as driving for Mercedes, he is managed by the team.
Therefore, any talks he holds over moving to another team would technically have to be handled by Mercedes.
Russell joined Mercedes’ young driver programme in 2017, before being loaned out to Williams for three seasons and eventually replacing Valtteri Bottas as Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate at the Silver Arrows in 2022.
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Asked to clarify the situation, Wolff explained: “We try to pick up young drivers very early in their careers and we are financing all of it so we’re not asking any contribution from the parents or any sponsors.
“And for that, for a certain time we have the managerial rights, and it’s very similar to what Red Bull has.”
Quizzed on whether the arrangement creates difficulties in contract negotiations, Wolff added: “We have those negotiations and those discussions.
“Every driver wants to have a better car and more money. Completely normal behaviour and that’s not going to be the crucial point.”
F1 immediately heads to the Hungarian Grand Prix for the final race before the sport’s summer break, watch live on Sky Sports F1 from Friday. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
