Mercedes’ George Russell cleared up his stance regarding his future with the team in F1 amidst reports of the team signing Max Verstappen surface the Paddock. Although there has been no confirmation from either Verstappen or Mercedes, there seems to be a possible conversation between the two.
Earlier this week, Sky Italia reported that Mercedes was in conversation with Max Verstappen to drive for the team in the 2026 season. This would have meant that they would part ways with George Russell. He is one of the most consistent and competitive drivers on the grid. None of the reports were confirmed heading into the British Grand Prix weekend, but there was a commotion regarding the same.
Russell was questioned about his future within the team. However, he did not seem to be too worried about the same. He expressed his desire to continue with the team in the future.
“Of course there’s lots of conversations, lots of rumours and all of these are being pointed towards me, but from my side feel that isn’t really going to be the case. I want to continue with Mercedes into the future,” he told the media. “The fact is Toto [Wolff] has never let me down – he’s always given me his word but he’s also got to do what’s right for his team, which includes me but it also includes thousands of people who work for Mercedes.”
Russell also mentioned that the entire issue wasn’t something to worry about for him.
“For me it’s nothing to worry about because I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere, and whoever my team mate will be, it doesn’t concern me either. I’m just focused on the driving.”
At the same time, Max Verstappen has also kept his silence on the topic.
Max Verstappen reveals “no decision” made regarding his contract
Max Verstappen has driven for Red Bull Racing his entire F1 career. He was earlier a part of Toro Rosso (now VCARB) but then moved to RBR in 2016. He won four consecutive championships with the team between 2021 and 2024. It would seemingly be a difficult move if he does plan to move to Mercedes in the future.
The reports are a result of RBR’s current performance. The team started losing their competitiveness last year and has so far struggled. Verstappen has scored over 90% of the points for them so far, and they still stand in fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship. Moreover, his crash on the Austrian GP’s opening lap cost him a major loss, making his title hopes more difficult.
As the reports escalated, however, Verstappen cleared up that there was “no decision” regarding any possible move to Mercedes. Moreover, he also mentioned that he does not discuss his contracts.
“I do not talk about my contract. No decision has been made at the moment,” he told the media. “For me it is not about 2026 or anything. I just concentrate on what is coming and the cooperation with the team. Of course, many people come with assumptions. That certainly does not come from me.”
“As I said last week, that’s all I can say about it. I don’t think anyone can say with 100 percent certainty that they’ll will feel completely comfortable next year. There are so many unknowns for next year anyway. The only thing I can do is drive as fast as I can with what I have.”
He currently has a contract with Red Bull till the 2028 season. His devotion to the team has been strong in the past and he is expected to continue with them.
