Imagine being George Russell. You’re the best performer on the grid besides Max Verstappen and the McLaren boys who have a superior car. You’re about to complete the second year of a one plus one contract which was signed at the same time Lewis Hamilton signed his last deal with the silver arrows.
Further, without your points contribution this season, Mercedes would be in a distant fourth barely ahead of the resurgent Williams team. Yet just as your contract renewal is set to be agreed, up steps Max Verstappen luring Mercedes boss Toto Wolff into the belief he could possibly be available and interested in joining the Brackley team for 2026.
Come June, Wolff finally admits he’s been talking with the Verstappen camp and George is forced into responding to subsequent questions by repeatedly stating “there’s two seats in every team.”
Verstappen finally quells rumours
Meanwhile George’s team mate is having a nightmare. Billed as the next Max Verstappen by Mercedes, Kimi Antonelli after a promising start to his F1 career is off the rails. With the exception of his maiden podium in Canada – where the Mercedes car was exceptional with Russell winning the race – he scored just one point in the eight race weekends between Imola and Zandvoort.
Yet George is kept in limbo over his contract renewal with Mercedes. Surely even were Max to join Mercedes it would be Antonelli who was farmed out elsewhere to further his education?
As the teams headed into the F1 Sumer break, Max finally silenced the rumours that he may leave Red Bull Racing in 2026. At the Hungarian Grand Prix, Verstappen addressed the elephant in the room. “I’ve never really said anything about it because I was just focused on talking to the team about how we can improve our performance, future ideas for next year as well. And that’s why I have nothing really to add ever.
“But yeah, I think it’s time to basically stop all the rumours. And for me, it’s always been quite clear that I was staying anyway.” Of course by refusing to comment on the speculation for several weeks, Verstappen knew he was stoking the fires in the media, yet for some reason he chose to allow this to happen.
Wolff suggests deal done during summer break
Surely now the George Russell contract with Mercedes will be resolved and pronto, was the expected course of action?
Toto Wolff admitted in Hungary that the speculation had continued for too long over Russell’s future with the team stating: “I would have wished to have him in a safe place a little bit earlier, but we haven’t managed to do that. But I am optimistic that he is going to sleep well over the summer break.”
This sounds like an outline deal is ready for George to sign, but now more than two months later Mercedes have made no announcement. With F1 returning from its summer sojourn, Wolff was again questioned about Russell’s future at the Dutch Grand Prix. “I’ve always said there’s not going to be any big news, because we’re doing this,” said the Austrian in Zandvoort. “We’re continuing with both of them, of course.
“With George,” Wolff continued, “[he] has a few things where we want to optimise some of the travelling and the marketing days, how many hours we’re putting [in]. He’s an experienced driver, and for us, it’s always important to talk about it.” Now five weeks on, these ‘minor’ details appear to remain contentious.
F1’s hidden flight path scandal
Russell’s revenge?
Jacques Villeneuve believes the tables have been turned and now the lay of the land is in George Russell’s favour. “George Russell is very good,” says Villeneuve. “Out of all the other drivers, he’s the one that’s always showing consistency in getting the result. He’s matured a lot. He doesn’t seem to be making the mistakes he used to make.
“This season he’s really maximising the points he can get with that team and that car. It sounds like Mercedes are committed to George Russell and now it’s him that doesn’t want to commit anymore. Because he was annoyed that he had to wait.”
Of course if Russell refused to play ball, there’s no-one of his stature waiting in the wings since Cadillac signed Sergio Pérez and Mercedes reserve driver Valtteri Bottas. The announcement the Finn would be leaving Mercedes next season only added power to Russell’s arm.
The problem for George though is there’s no other top team seat available, so there’s no threat to Mercedes that he will leave for pastures new. The difficulty Russell is still facing, is that Mercedes and Wolff wish to give him a contract which only guarantees him a drive for 2026.
Wolff Slams Antonelli, Then Doubles Down – Mercedes Make Shock Changes
The threat of Max remains
Despite failing to live up to his top billing, the team remain firm in their belief that Antonelli is their future. Further, the massive regulation changes for both F1 chassis and power units coming next season, mean Red Bull may well miss the mark and it could be Mercedes who build the finest car and Powertrains for the next F1 era.
If that were to be the case, then Verstappen would come a calling and Wolff doesn’t want to have to pay George off a huge sum of money because he is contracted to drive for Mercedes for two more years. Following the weekend in Monza, Wolff was candid over the kind of contracts Mercedes has traditionally issued.
“No, we’ve always been, in the team, ones that haven’t gone for the very long term in contracts, and kept it very short,” he told Sky Sports F1 when it was suggested Russell deserved a long term contract like Norris and Leclerc.
George is no Ayrton Senna
And this is the key to the delays between Mercedes and Russell. He believes he deserves a deal which lasts longer than just one season. Yet to be fair to Wolff this was the arrangement he had with Lewis Hamilton, who had won six drivers titles with the team.
After months of media speculation, Hamilton finally signed his one plus one deal in the Autumn of 2023, just weeks later he was talking to Ferrari president John Elkann. Russell is no Hamilton and can’t expect any treatment which is preferential over that of his former team mate.
His four Grand Prix wins in 145 starts means he’s no Ayrton Senna and Mercedes have no pressure to bend to the British drivers wishes, given his options else where for 2026 are none.
‘Albon set to rejoin Verstappen’
Red Bull’s search for a driver for 2026 takes a twist – The make-up of the Red Bull Racing driver line-up continues to generate speculation as Formula 1 looks ahead to the 2026 season. With Sergio Pérez leaving the team after 2024 and Red Bull seeking a reliable partner for Max Verstappen, the list of potential candidates has been the subject of constant debate. While many assume that young prospect Isack Hadjar will be promoted, recent reports have suggested that a familiar face could be returning to the team: Alex Albon.
The prospect of Albon rejoining Red Bull Racing surfaced following reports in the Italian edition of Motorsport.com. The Thai-British driver, who is currently competing for Williams, is said to have been contacted multiple times in recent weeks by Red Bull management. These developments suggest a broader Red Bull strategy as they consider the risks of placing an inexperienced driver like Hadjar in one of the most demanding positions on the grid…. READ MORE
A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
With experience covering multiple seasons of Formula 1’s modern hybrid era, Andrew has developed a detailed understanding of how regulatory changes and competitive shifts influence the grid. Andrew’s editorial approach prioritises clarity and context, aiming to help readers navigate complex developments within the sport.
In addition to editorial duties, Andrew is particularly interested in how media narratives shape fan perception of Formula 1, and how reporting can balance speed with accuracy in an increasingly digital news environment.
From what I’ve read, the dining of the. Contract is NOT the problem. The problem lies with GR thinking he should be paid CONSIDERABLY more than is being offered. But sadly, all drivers are only worth what their team wishes to pay them. If GR manages to remove himself from the Mercedes Team with his silly self-posturing, who does it hurt the most? I venture it WON’T be Nercedes!