George Russell admits that he is in no rush to finalize contract negotiations with Mercedes. The 27-year-old Brit has yet to sign a new agreement with the Silberpfeile. Now that the commotion around Max Verstappen and the German team has subsided, it seems likely that George Russell will extend his contract. However, the four-time race winner emphasizes that he wants to take his time, especially with a potential title fight in mind.
Mercedes has not yet provided certainty for either George Russell or teammate Kimi Antonelli for 2026. Both drivers are waiting for a new contract. Team boss Toto Wolff has repeatedly expressed confidence in the current lineup and his desire to continue with them, but a deal has not yet been concluded. Meanwhile, the Austrian openly flirted with four-time world champion Max Verstappen, who has since confirmed he will stay with Red Bull next year.
Shortly before the summer break, Russell stated that there were no updates on the contract negotiations, although the talks were heading in the right direction. “To be honest, I feel absolutely no time pressure, given the time of year,” he responded when asked by Formula1.com. “There’s also no rush from the team. We’ve been in contact a lot recently, but it had little to do with the contract negotiations,” Russell admitted. “At the moment, we mainly need to get the car back on track.”
Focus on a Title Fight
“Of course, we do talk about the future,” he continued. “Things are moving in the right direction, but it’s too important to rush this.” When asked if the contract negotiations are more complicated now that he wants to compete for the title, Russell responded decisively: “Absolutely. I’ve been in Formula 1 for seven years now, I feel that I’m at my best and that I’m still growing stronger as a driver.”
“I’ve waited so long that I want to make sure everything is right,” he explained. “It has to be good for the team, good for me – everything has to fit. So it’s not a matter of: ‘Are you happy with what you’re getting paid?’ That’s just a very small part. You have to have confidence in the performance for the future. I would put down my own money to become world champion – I would even pay to be able to fight for a title. That’s where I stand now. That’s my priority.”
