Formula One can be a cruel world for drivers as Carlos Sainz can testify to. The Spaniard was a significant part in Ferrari’s success in 2024 in particular closing the deficit to McLaren from 79 points to just 14 over the final six race weekends of the season.
Yet by the he knew he would be leaving the iconic Scuderia for midfield Williams despite all the contributions he had made to Ferrari’s progress over his four year tenure in Maranello. In many ways, George Russell is facing a similar situation at Mercedes. The young English driver came into the team the year after Lewis Hamilton’s crushing defeat to Max Verstappen in the championship and bested the seven times world champion in two of their three yers together as team mates.
Yet Toto Wolff’s obsession with recruiting Max Verstappen, whom he lost to Red Bull over a decade ago, is overshadowing the achievements of Russell this season. The arrival of rookie Kim Antonelli to replace Hamilton always meant the lions share of the burden to score would fall on Russell, and in this he has delivered.
Dilemma for Russell
Yet with no other driver available who could fill George’s shoes, except Verstappen, the British driver remains without a contract beyond the end of this year. Wolff played with fire the last time contract negotiations were underway at Mercedes, and his refusal to guarantee the seven tines world champion more than a year came back to bite him.
Hamilton clearly unhappy with his Mercedes deal after twelve years with the F1 team, saw him announce his departure to Ferrari just weeks after the ink dried on his new deal in Brackley.
If anything, Russell’s Mercedes ordeal is worse than the one Carlos Sainz suffered at the hands of Ferrari. The Spaniard believed himself to be about to receive a contract extension, then BOOM Hamilton was announced and the Spanish driver had a season to find himself a new F1 home.
Russell by way of contrast is in the dark as to his future. Whilst Toto Wolff continues to say his preferred lineup is Russell and Antonelli, he’s so far refused to put his money where his mouth is. However, it appears the shock sacking of Christian Horner has moved matters along, with Dr. Helmut Marko stating unequivocally in Belgium, that Verstappen would be guaranteed to be racing in Red Bull colours next season.
Verstappen is staying at Red Bull
When the topic has arisen previously, there Verstappen camp and Marko have been ambiguous, reiterating the fact that Max has a contract until 2028. Verstappen himself has persistently refused to state he will be driving for Red Bull in 2026 but now the Austrian advisor to the racing team has put the matter to bed once and for all.
“Yes, I can confirm that Max Verstappen will drive for Red Bull in 2026,” Marko is reported as saying by sport.de this week. Whilst this the first definitive comment this year, it is no surprise. The Horner factor to be honest is a red herring in this discussion, given for 2026 Verstappen’s only top team opportunity was with the Mercedes team.
Yet as Adrian Newey said earlier this year, the new F1 world of 2026 may be dominated by one team due to their engine supply and this could be any of those manufacturers with factory based racing teams. It could be the Aston Martin with their first Newey design chassis together with world champions Honda hit the ground ahead of the field.
So for Verstappen to gamble a multi year deal with Mercedes starting in 2026, would be nonsense. Worse still even Red Bull themselves may pull the rabbit out of the hat on the power unit front, after all it was they and Horner who first analysed the potential difficulties the new specification with its 50% electrical power output.
Hadjar exposes Hamilton’s true side
Wolff’s masterplan
Verstappen would be doing a Fernando Alonso were that the case, as the Spaniard jumped ship of McLaren at the end of 2007, only for Lewis Hamilton his ex-team mate to win the F1 drivers’ championship the following year.
With Verstappen never likely to sign for Mercedes next season, why the delay in Russell’s new contract? Toto Wolff’s masterplan is to give Antonelli more time and hope after two seasons in the sport he will be delivering the promise he has shown as a junior racer.
This means were Mercedes to ace the new 2026 regulations, Max Verstappen would be knocking on the gates in Brackley, paper and pen in hand. So for George he just needs to bite the bullet and accept the one plus one year deal Wolff is offering. The same deal which saw Hamilton free to leave for iconic Ferrari team when the opportunity arose.
Russell should have nothing to fear given his talent is plain for all to see. He is the only driver other than Verstappen and the McLaren duo to win a race this season, and he alone has matched the number of Grad Prix podiums Ferrari have scored collectively.
Russell will be in demand
Russell is 13-0 ahead on GP finishing positions when compared to Antonelli and the qualifying tally is similarly dominant at 12-1 in favour of the British driver. With a number of the big teams drivers out of contract come the end of 2026, the paddock should be seen as the land of opportunity for the Mercedes led driver, not something to be feared.
George should accept the one plus one year deal he is being offered, but in exchange for the inherent uncertainty press for significant more in terms of remuneration as compensation for the lack of security.
The number opportunities for Russell come 2027 will be far more than at present. Ferrari, for example may have fallen to of love with Hamilton, should he continue to disappoint. Aston Martin may be enjoying success with Newey firmly established as head of their technical division, the options will be many for the man who sits third win the championship behind the dominant McLaren pair and the world champion.
Also, there’s a distinct possibility it won’t be Mercedes who turn up ahead of the competition next season, and a break clause for 2027 in his contract may suit Russell well. With the Sumer break looming, this is the perfect time for Russell to put his future in order, whilst retaining flexibility for his own future and a huge pile of cash to compensate him for the lack of commitment from the silver arrows.
Hamilton fate sealed, Ferrari announce Vasseur decision
Ferrari Doubles Down on Vasseur with Stability over Sensation at Maranello – The red mist that so often clouds Maranello’s judgement appears, for now, to have lifted. On Thursday morning, Ferrari officially announced that Frédéric Vasseur will continue to serve as their Formula 1 team principal, with a fresh multi-year contract extension quietly solidifying his place at the helm of the Scuderia.
While the exact duration of the deal was not disclosed, naturally, this being Ferrari, opacity remains a cherished tradition, the message from both sides was crystal clear: continuity over chaos.
Vasseur, who joined Ferrari in 2023 after stints with Sauber and Renault, is tasked with an unenviable mission, restoring Formula 1’s most storied team to its former glory. While the tifosi may still be waiting for that elusive victory parade through the streets of Modena, Ferrari’s leadership clearly believes the groundwork is in place, and that now is not the time to change captains mid-journey.
“I’m grateful for the trust Ferrari continues to place in me,” Vasseur said in the official statement. “This renewal is not just a confirmation — it’s a challenge. We’ve laid strong foundations over the past 30 months, and now we must build on them with consistency and determination. We know what’s expected, and we are all fully committed.”… REA D 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.
