Wolff Confirms: Russell’s Renewal at Mercedes is a “Formality”

Toto Wolff: George Russell’s Mercedes renewal is “a formality”

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has stated that contract negotiations to secure George Russell’s stay for next year are “a formality.” Despite speculation about his future in Formula 1, confirmation for 2026 is still pending. Mercedes has not yet announced its lineup for 2026, which puts them behind other teams. However, it is widely expected that they will continue with Russell and his teammate, rookie Kimi Antonelli. Russell had previously linked the delay to Mercedes’ intention to sign Max Verstappen, who has already confirmed his stay at Red Bull.

“We clearly know what we expect from each other, what we want. It’s a formality,” Wolff stated at the Dutch Grand Prix on Friday.

Toto Wolff

“But at the same time, it’s important to discuss even the smallest details, such as ‘how can we get the most out of George?’ or how to structure his marketing obligations.”

Both Wolff and Russell indicated this week that they paused talks during the F1 mid-season break and have since resumed them. On Thursday, Russell commented: “Toto and the team were very willing to work during the summer break to reach a resolution, but I wanted to take that time because those two weeks are very valuable to all of us. There’s no rush, and I really don’t want to put a deadline on it. When it happens, it will happen. If it’s next week, a month, two months, three months, it will be whatever it is.” Wolff also expressed his support for Antonelli after a difficult period for the 19-year-old Italian, who has scored points in two of the last eight races. Antonelli also ended up in the gravel in Friday’s first practice session at Zandvoort.

“We continue to believe in him. He needs time,” said Wolff. “We are totally focused on the mission, and individual race weekends or a session like the one 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