Is George Russell deliberately making Mercedes wait to sign his contract extension? According to former world champion Jacques Villeneuve, the Brit is indeed doing so, because the Silver Arrows previously left Russell uncertain about his future with the team. However, the struggle between the two parties is ‘pointless’, according to the former Formula 1 driver: ‘There is no one else available for Mercedes’.
George Russell has been driving for Mercedes since 2022, and during his time with the Silver Arrows, he has often had to listen to rumors about a possible arrival of Max Verstappen at the German team. However, the rumor mill stopped turning just before the summer break when the Dutchman confirmed he would stay with Red Bull. Yet, there has been no clarity since then about Russell’s future with Mercedes.
The Brit still only has a contract until the end of 2025. Although Toto Wolff in Zandvoort said he wanted to continue with both Russell and rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, no official contract extension has been announced yet. Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve knows why. “It seems that Mercedes has committed to George Russell and that he is now the one who no longer wants to commit. Because he was irritated that he had to wait,” says Villeneuve.
‘Pointless Struggle’
However, according to the Canadian, it is only a matter of time before both parties sign a contract extension. “The point is: who else would Mercedes contract?”, Villeneuve wonders. “There is no one available. On the other hand, there is also no team available for Russell. So it is a pointless struggle at the moment. Everyone knows that Max is with Red Bull for another year. So anyone who does not have a contract for 2027 is at risk. It’s that simple.”
