Toto Wolff provides George Russell contract update as Mercedes star jets off on holiday
Toto Wolff believes George Russell will "definitely" be a Mercedes driver in 2026. The Brit's current contract expires at the end of the year, but a renewal has been highly likely ever since Max Verstappen confirmed that he intends to stick with Red Bull next year.
Mercedes boss Wolff had been eyeing up an ambitious move to convince the Dutchman to quit for the Silver Arrows. And the most likely of his current drivers to be replaced in such a scenario was Russell despite the 27-year-old's superb season so far.
He remains the only driver other than Max Verstappen and the dominant McLaren pair to win a race, courtesy of his Canada victory in June. And his third place in Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix was his sixth visit to the podium in 2025.
Speaking after that impressive performance in Budapest, Wolff said of Russell's contract situation: "Definitely, he is staying. The team is strong and he has shown it again today."
Both Mercedes drivers are products of the team's efforts to develop talented youngsters into stars. His team-mate is Kimi Antonelli who has endured a difficult debut season in F1 at times, having been fast-tracked into the sport as a raw 18-year-old, but who has already shown glimpses of what he can do.
A maiden podium was secured on that red-letter day in Canada for the team, and that came a month after his first pole position for the Sprint race in Miami. But it is Russell who has led Mercedes forward this year, the Brit fourth in the drivers' championship and now only 15 points behind Verstappen ahead.
"George has always had good cards, because he has delivered since 2018," said Wolff of negotiations with his driver. "There was not a season he was not there, and nothing changed that in our thinking for next year.
'So, just because you do not talk outside, it does not mean that things are not progressing in your relationship internally. And when it comes to his contract, let's see. We will come out and say what kind of term we have put forward."
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Perhaps emboldened by Verstappen's confirmation that he does not plan to take Russell's seat, the Brit is more casual than ever about his future. "I have waited so long, and I think now I want to get through this weekend," he said before the race in Budapest.
"I want to go on a holiday next week and enjoy the break. There is no time pressure my side, there is no time pressure from the team's side. So whenever we come to an agreement, we will get it done. But it has got to be right both ways."
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