Toto Wolff has opened up about George Russell’s future with Mercedes, as fans await confirmation of the British driver’s contract renewal.
In the weeks leading up to the summer break, there were rumours of a huge ‘silly season’ twist that would see Max Verstappen leaving Red Bull and joining Mercedes after the German team expressed interest in the driver, but the reigning World Champion has now confirmed that he will be staying where he is for 2026.
According to Wolff, Russell holds the cards
According to racer.com, the last few months have not been the most reassuring for Russell, but it appears that contract talks are progressing positively for the Brit.
Speaking to the media regarding Russell’s contract, Wolff said: “George has always had good cards because he delivered since 2018.”
“His standing in the team is strong. He has shown it [in Hungary] again and there’s no reason not to plan with George in the long term.”
🤔| David Coulthard has questioned why Mercedes is yet to sign up George Russell for 2026:
“George not being officially signed [for the 2026 season] is slightly bizarre.”
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[📰@F1]#F1 #BelgiumGP https://t.co/LFPPW5YIF0
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) July 22, 2025
With Russell out of contract at the end of the 2025 season, it seems a renewal announcement is imminent, especially after a strong performance at the Hungaroring.
What does the second half of the season hold for Mercedes?
Hungary was touch and go for the team, with Russell delivering a podium, coming third behind the McLaren drivers, and Kimi Antonelli managing to score a point after another poor qualifying session for the 18-year-old.
There have been rumours that the team has been in crisis talks surrounding their performance, with Wolff bringing in both drivers to discuss their current form. Despite this, Wolff seems confident that the second half of the season will see progress for the Silver Arrows.
Discussing Antonelli’s performance, Wolff said: “He scored a point, he defended against Hadjar and I’m satisfied with that. Hopefully we’re going to get strong in the second half of the year, so he’s on target.”
⚔ | Kimi Antonelli during the Driver’s Press conference on his season so far:
“It has been challenging, I have had some highs but quite a few lows. The European season hasn’t gone very well, I think it has gone pretty badly.”
“A few mistakes from my side and we had a couple of… pic.twitter.com/PwhYhfoGMt
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) July 24, 2025
Mercedes has faced struggles in recent races, with Q1 exits for Antonelli and a DNF at the British Grand Prix for the Italian driver. Russell has been quietly consistent throughout the season, but delays in his contract renewal have been met by media scrutiny. The summer break is known for being the turning point in the season for contract negotiations, so it is safe to say, an announcement is imminent.
It is unclear whether Antonelli will be continuing with Mercedes next season; however, it seems likely that he will remain at the team as long as he continues to improve on his performance, especially now that Verstappen’s future at Red Bull is set.
Things change quickly in the world of F1, so will Mercedes be keeping both of their drivers for the 2026 season?
