George Russell has indicated that Mercedes' pursuit of Max Verstappen is holding up negotiations for his own contract renewal. The British driver, currently in the final year of his deal with Mercedes, has been a standout performer this season, consistently maximizing the car's potential and securing a victory in Canada alongside four podium finishes.
Despite his impressive form, Russell, 27, has yet to receive a contract extension, a situation that has surprised many in the Formula 1 paddock. Both Russell and Mercedes have downplayed the significance of the delay, but the driver admitted ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix that having a deal finalized would "help" him.
When asked about ongoing contract talks, Russell said, "Yeah, a little bit. No major updates yet. It's not something I'm pressing massively because, as I've always said, performance is the priority. I feel with the performance I'm showing at the moment, I've got zero reasons to be worried. But obviously, it does help if there was pen on paper. Let's see."
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has publicly pursued Verstappen, the four-time world champion, since Lewis Hamilton announced his move to Ferrari for 2025. Although Wolff has since downplayed his interest in Verstappen, Russell hinted that Mercedes may still be attempting to secure the Red Bull star.
"From my side, I don't think I have anything really to worry about," Russell said. "As Mercedes, they want to be back on top, and if you're going to be back on top, you need the best drivers, engineers, and pit crew. It's only normal that conversations with the likes of Verstappen are ongoing. But from my side, if I'm performing as I'm doing, what have I got to be concerned about? There are two seats in every Formula 1 team."
Russell also addressed the potential challenges of pairing with Verstappen, given their past on-track rivalries and public feuds. "Toto has made it clear to me that he thinks how I'm performing this year is as good as anybody," Russell said. "I think there's only one driver that you can debate in terms of performance—these are his words, not mine—so that's why I have no concern about the future. But there's two seats at every team, and I guess he needs to think, who are those two drivers going to be for those two seats, and I guess that's what the delay is."
Russell remains confident about his future in Formula 1, whether with Mercedes or another team, reiterating his determination to stay on the grid for the 2026 season.
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