George Russell’s future has been the subject of growing speculation as his wait for an extension to his expiring contract has continued amid Mercedes’ pursuit of Max Verstappen;watch the Hungarian Grand Prix live on Sky Sports F1 from Friday
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George Russell’s ongoing contract extension talks with Mercedes are for a multi-year deal, which could heighten the possibility of the Brit being paired with Max Verstappen in the future.
Russell’s future has been subject to speculation over recent months with Mercedes delaying rewarding the 27-year-old, whose current contract expires at the end of this year, with a new deal amid their attempts to poach Verstappen from Red Bull.
However, with Verstappen appearing highly likely to remain with Red Bull for at least the 2026 season following Christian Horner’s sacking as team principal, Mercedes chief Toto Wolff hinted – during an interview withSky Sports F1at the Belgian Grand Prix – that a new deal for Russell could be agreed before the summer break, which follows this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
Sky Sports Newsunderstands that the prospective extension would be a multi-year deal, which would tie Russell to the team until at least the end of the 2027 season.
With the season just past its halfway stage, Russell has delivered his most complete F1 campaign to date, dragging the most out of Mercedes’ inconsistent W16 to claim a victory and four further podium finishes.
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Asked whether he believed the contract delay was making Russell perform better, Wolff toldSky Sports F1: “As a driver, he’s so mature and stable that I don’t think that makes any difference on performance.
“On the contrary, I would wish to have him in a safe place a little bit earlier. We haven’t managed to do that but I’m optimistic that he’s going to sleep well over the summer break.”
Source: Skysports
