George Russell Secures His Future with Mercedes Until 2026
George Russell’s wait for a 2026 contract has come to an end. Mercedes confirmed that the British driver will continue with the team next season, partnering with Kimi Antonelli. The announcement, expected for weeks, follows a summer of speculation about Russell’s future in the team, while Mercedes explored options with Max Verstappen. Verstappen confirmed his stay at Red Bull at the end of July, after which Toto Wolff, head of the Mercedes team, announced that the team would continue with Russell and Antonelli. In recent weeks, Russell mentioned that the final details of his contract were delaying the confirmation, but he made clear his commitment to stay with Mercedes next season. The duration of the agreements with both drivers was not revealed in the announcement.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell have extended their contracts for 2026.
Russell first signed with Mercedes as a junior driver in 2017 and continues to be managed by the team, including Wolff. Earlier this year, Russell stated that Mercedes “held all the cards” in the deal and admitted that this had “put him at risk” while Mercedes explored options with Verstappen. Russell first competed for Mercedes as a substitute for Lewis Hamilton at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix before joining as a full-time driver in 2022. His rise coincided with the decline of Mercedes’ form, which limited him to five victories in the last four seasons. Mercedes is considered one of the favorites to capitalize on the regulation change next year, which will see a new engine formula and significant changes to the cars.“Confirming our driver lineup was always a question of when, not if,” said Wolff. “We wanted to take our time, handle the negotiations properly, and make sure everyone, from all sides, was happy. I am pleased that we have done so. George and Kimi have proven to be a strong pairing and we are excited to continue our journey together. Our focus is now on the last six races of the year, as we fight for second place in the Constructors’ Championship, and on 2026 and a new era in F1”
Toto Wolff
Antonelli joined Mercedes as a rookie this year after seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton chose to leave the team to go to Ferrari at the end of 2024. Despite the mixed results in his first year in F1, the 19-year-old’s position never seemed to be in doubt for 2026.“I am very proud to continue our journey together,” said Russell. “Next year will mark my tenth anniversary since I signed with Mercedes in 2017. It has been a long and successful partnership with the team so far and I am eager to see what the future holds, particularly as we embark on one of the biggest regulation changes in the history of the sport next year. We are all incredibly focused on making that a success and, for me personally, on building on what has been my strongest season in F1 to date.”
George Russell
“I am very excited to continue with the team”, he said. “I have learned a lot in my first season in F1, both in the good times and in the most challenging ones. All of those have made me stronger, not only as a driver, but also as a teammate. I want to thank Toto and everyone in Brackley and Brixworth for their continued support and trust in me”.
Kimi Antonelli
