Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has confirmed that George Russell will be at Mercedes for the 2026 Formula 1 season, laying to rest the persistent rumors of Russell negotiating a move out of the Silver Arrows’ territory. Although it was speculated widely that Mercedes were interested in signing Max Verstappen based on early discussions and potential clauses in the contract, Wolff confirmed that Russell is “definitely staying” and reinforced that Mercedes are happy they are going with Russell and Kimi Antonelli as a driver pairing.
“Everything normal” says Wolff
Russell, with a contract that runs out at the end of 2025, has often stated that he has no intention of leaving Mercedes and is not negotiating with other teams. He stated that he is “exceptionally low risk” and made strong references of loyalty when they were negotiating the contract stating Mercedes had all the cards when negotiating.
Wolff laid down the timeline very clearly stating that the driver lineup decision for 2026 will be made prior to Formula 1’s summer break in August. He addressed the Max Verstappen speculation directly, saying that discussions have taken place, but that they had no bearing on Russell’s negotiations, and said everything surrounding Russell’s contract situation was “normal”. Meanwhile, the clouds of speculation still have not lifted. Russell has reportedly rejected a renewal contract offer with Mercedes for 1+1, which embodies fears of a transitional plan that will eventually leave him on the outside looking in as he makes way for Max Verstappen or any one of star drivers. Former world champion Jenson Button opined the wisdom of replacing George Russell with someone else, labeling the loss of one of F1’s future stars as a strange decision.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has confirmed that he will remain with Red Bull until at least 2026, and put any move for Mercedes on the back burner. That news could only bolster Russell’s position even more, although delaying the issue will not erase any potential contractual drama when the Red Bull performance rules come into play. For now, the future is wrapped in nothing more than a temporary package, however. Mercedes fans will now sit back and await whether history is in the making, or if it is another summer of F1’s biggest driver saga in a couple of years.
