George Russell is clearly one of the top drivers on the Formula One grid. He earned the reputation of “Mr. Saturday” while serving his apprenticeship at Williams due to his ability to outperform the car in qualifying. Promoted in 2022 alongside Lewis Hamilton, Russell’s talent became even more obvious when beat the seven times champion across the course of the year, something only previously achieved by Jenson Button and Nico Rosberg’s when team mates of Hamilton.
In there second year together, Hamilton prevailed come Abu Dhabi at the end of the term, yet again in 2024 it was Russell who ruled the roost at Mercedes out qualifying lewis 18-6 and finishing ahead in the Grand Prix 15-9. The Mercedes boss Toto Wolff took the huge gamble on replacing Hamilton with talented rookie Kimi Antonelli who after a scintillating start to his F1 career has delivered mixed results in recent outings.
In a world that is rational, Russell would be already signed up for another season or two by Wolff, given Antonelli’s ability will now clearly take time to cultivate. George has finished every Grand Prix this year ahead of his team mate and the qualifying count is 8-1 in favour of the British driver.
Wolff dally’s with Russell contract
For a driver so dominant against both the F1 record holder and now a rising star rookie, his future with Mercedes should be nailed on – but it isn’t – as Wolff continues to dally over signing his number one driver’s new contract. So why the delay?
Toto Wolff has made no attempt to hide his admiration for Max Verstappen and issued an open offer to the world champion to come and join his Mercedes team. Of course were this to happen either George or Kimi becomes redundant and the signs are that Russell is feeling the heat.
Despite the fact Verstappen has now publicly committed himself to Red bull at least to the end of 2026, the rumours over Russell’s position at Mercedes continue to rumble on.
When asked last time out in Spain whether he was ‘bored’ by the persistent reports linking the world champion to a seat in the Brackley based team – or even if he found them disrespectful – Russell told Mundo Deportivo he wasn’t on either count.
George defensive of his role at Mercedes
“The truth is, no,” Russell states. “No, because the fact is, there are two seats in a Formula 1 team. And I’ve already said I’d be happy to be Verstappen’s team-mate. But the fact is: why wouldn’t a team want Verstappen? If I were Toto, and you had two choices… If you could have any driver and all the drivers were available, I would choose myself and I would choose Verstappen – if I were in Toto’s shoes.”
George went on to say the same would apply at both Ferrari and McLaren, with the Italian squad choosing Leclerc and Verstappen, although the three time Grand Prix winner admitted the choice of who would be dropped between Norris and Piastri at McLaren, would be tough. Yet the fact George needs to justify his inclusion in any future Mercedes team alongside Verstappen, suggests he is not certain about his future in Brackley.
Yet it appears that its no longer Verstappen who is the threat to Russell’s Mercedes racing career, but an eight time Grand Prix winner Wolff admires a lot. Respected Italian news outlet, Corriere della Sera are repotting that Leclerc’s ‘closest circle’ have ‘let it slip’ the 27 year old Monegasqe driver may no longer fulfil his contract through to 2029. Like all top drivers, Leclerc has release clauses in his $34m a ayer contract some of which could even be activated right away.
Apart from the fact Charles is earning $16m a year less in basic salary than his new team mate, the report suggests Leclerc is losing faith with the team in Maranello. His big “fear” is of being stuck with yet another uncompetitive Ferrari car as the mega rule change comes into force in 2026.
Aston Martin confirms Stroll decision
Mercedes reports ‘best 2026 power unit’
Other repots persist in circulating which suggest Mercedes are building a best in class power unit for 2026, which could put them once again in a position of dominance as happened at the last round of powertrain revolutions. The Mercedes powered V6 turbo hybrid was the platform for many of Hamilton’s six titles reclaimed whilst at Brackley and Leclerc is said to be eying the silver arrows as his best hope of winning an F1 drivers’ championship.
Add into the mix that Toto Wolff has always held Leclerc in high regard and the inordinate delay in Mercedes’ signing their drivers for next year begins to make sense. Now in his eight year in F1 and at the age of 27, time is marching on for Charles. Whilst his future is fairly certain in Italy for the next four seasons, a move to Mercedes may prove his one and only hope of matching what Oscar Piastri is achieving at McLaren this year.
In just his third season in F1, the young Australian now leads the championship by ten points from Lando Norris, with Leclerc now almost 100 points back with just nine rounds complete this year.
Vasseur now under threat
Ferrari appeared to blunder with their strategy for 2025 as Fred Vasseur announced during the winter, the team were building a completely new car; “99% new,” he claimed. Yet Ferrari not McLaren were the form team over the close of the 2024 season as across the three final triple headers they closed a 75 point gap on McLaren to just 14 points when the chequered flag fell in Abu Dhabi.
McLaren chose evolution over revolution for their 2025 MCL39 and the rewards are more than evident. Theirs is both championships to lose this year, while Ferrari are considering turning off the development of the SF-25 and turn their full resources towards next season’s car.
Now in his third year with the Scuderia, vaster is coming under increasing pressure from above to deliver. Again the Italian media have reported the Ferrari group chairman, John Elkann who was the driving force behind Hamilton’s recruitment, is “obsessed” with Christian Horner who he believes can lead the might prancing horse back to glory.
F1 bans McLaren secret tyre tech
FIA Drops the Hammer: McLaren’s tyre cooling edge outlawed – Formula 1’s ever-changing regulatory landscape has dealt another blow to the spirit of technical innovation. The FIA has now formally moved to outlaw a controversial grey area that certain teams, particularly McLaren, have been exploiting to great effect.
From 2026 onwards, the sport’s governing body will introduce stricter wording in its technical regulations banning all non-driving-related devices or systems intended to cool tyres, brakes, or wheel hubs. Though no names were cited in the formal documentation, it is widely believed in the paddock that McLaren’s success in managing tyre performance, especially in high-heat conditions, was the main reason for the revision…. READ MORE
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
