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Russell feels disrespected amid Mercedes contract row as Wolff eyes Verstappen

Originally posted on HITC | By Ben Evans | Last updated Oct 14, 2025 10:46 AM ET

Mercedes supporters are still waiting for an official word on whether George Russell will remain with the team beyond 2025.

When the season got underway, George Russell was the most notable driver who was aware that his contract would be up at the end of the year.

Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ team principal, has often preferred not to commit his drivers to lengthy contracts.

This played a part in Lewis Hamilton’s decision to join Ferrari, where he was offered more security than just a one-plus-one deal.

In Hamilton’s absence, Russell has taken on a bigger role this season and is now seen as Mercedes’ lead driver.

Hamilton praised Russell following his win at the Singapore Grand Prix. The victory boosted Russell’s standing in the drivers’ championship and highlighted that he has what it takes to be an F1 world champion if given the right car.

Despite Wolff indicating for months that both Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli would be kept on for 2026, neither has had their place officially confirmed yet.

Now journalist and broadcaster Nelson Valkenburg has shed more light on what might be happening behind closed doors, and why Russell could be unhappy with how Wolff is handling their talks.

George Russell finds Toto Wolff’s interest in Max Verstappen an ‘insult’ during Mercedes contract talks

Speaking on the Nailing the Apex Podcast, Valkenburg discussed the situation at Mercedes.

“Suddenly, we hear there’s a difference in opinion on the length of contract, the amount of PR days,” he said.

Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images

“Basically, Russell wants security and recognition for the job he’s done. And I think Toto is keeping his options open.

“If I read the situation correctly, it’s a bit of an insult to George Russell, and that’s where the problem lies.”

“At this point, though, they kind of cannot do without each other. They need each other, so it has to be resolved because George is racing all year at an incredible level, so they need him.

TEAM	DRIVER 1	DRIVER 2
Alpine	Pierre Gasly	N/A
Aston Martin	Fernando Alonso	Lance Stroll
Audi	Gabriel Bortoleto	Nico Hulkenberg
Cadillac	Valtteri Bottas	Sergio Perez
Ferrari	Charles Leclerc	Lewis Hamilton
Haas	Esteban Ocon	Oliver Bearman
McLaren	Lando Norris	Oscar Piastri
Mercedes	N/A	N/A
Racing Bulls	N/A	N/A
Red Bull Racing	Max Verstappen	N/A
Williams	Alex Albon	Carlos Sainz

They can’t get Verstappen or Piastri, or even if they can, having Russell there gives the team stability and incredible performance, and I think they need to reward him at this point.”

Mercedes look to have the upper hand in contract talks as George Russell faces limited options for 2026

The driver market hasn’t taken off like it did last year when Hamilton’s move set off a series of changes, including Carlos Sainz suddenly becoming the top target for every midfield team.

However, the speculation around Max Verstappen and whether he’d join Mercedes caused some teams to delay locking down their driver line-ups early on.

With Verstappen now committed to staying at Red Bull for at least another season, a new deal between Russell and Mercedes appears more likely.

Russell doesn’t have much room to manoeuvre, though. With only seats at Red Bull, Racing Bulls, and Alpine available right now, he can’t afford to walk away from Mercedes even if he wanted to.

Guenther Steiner has suggested that Russell threaten a one-year break from racing to get his way, as Wolff could be running out of options if they fail to reach an agreement.

Still, even though a one-year deal puts him at risk of being replaced by Verstappen in 2027, staying in form could keep Russell in demand across the grid next season if other opportunities open up.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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