Russell and Mercedes: Renewal is "formality" despite delay

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has called the contract negotiations to secure George Russell’s continuity for next year “a formality.” This comes as confirmation for 2026 generates speculation about his future in Formula 1. Although Mercedes has not yet announced its lineup for 2026, unlike other teams, it is widely expected to keep Russell and his teammate, rookie Kimi Antonelli. Russell himself had previously linked the delay to the possibility of Mercedes trying to sign Max Verstappen, who subsequently confirmed his stay at Red Bull.

We clearly know what we expect from each other, what we want. It’s a formality.
Toto Wolff

Wolff added that it is important to discuss even the smallest details, such as how to maximize Russell’s performance and structure his marketing obligations.

Russell and Mercedes: Renewal is "formality" despite delay — George Russell aún no ha firmado un nuevo contrato con Mercedes a pesar de su buen desempeño en 2025.

Both Wolff and Russell indicated that they paused talks during the F1 mid-season break and have since resumed them.

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Russell commented that both Wolff and the team were willing to work during the summer break to reach a resolution, but that he preferred to take that time, valuing those two weeks as something precious. Furthermore, Russell didn’t want to set deadlines, hoping that the situation would resolve itself when it should, regardless of whether it’s in a week, a month, or three. Wolff also sent a message of support to Antonelli, after a period of irregular form for the 19-year-old Italian driver, who has scored points in two of the last eight races. Antonelli also ended up in the gravel in the first practice session on Friday at Zandvoort.

We just keep believing in him. He needs time. We are totally on the mission, and individual race weekends or a session like we had before [Friday] are not going to change our opinion. In the short term, we’re going to say: ‘That’s not good’, but Kimi is a long-term investment.
Toto Wolff