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George Russell has admitted on Friday that he was indeed worried about Max Verstappen’s arrival at Mercedes. As a result, the Brit was in the waiting room and does not yet have a contract for next year.
The 27-year-old Russell is in a special situation. The Brit comes from the Mercedes talent program, which also manages his management. For years this was not a problem, but in recent months this situation began to chafe.
“Until last year, the team had supported me enormously throughout my career and given me great opportunities,” Russell said at the Hungaroring. “Our goals were always in line with each other. That was good for the team and it was also good for me.”
“But the past six months have been unique. I had little influence on the agreements, and perhaps the interests were temporarily no longer the same. As a result, I was at risk during that period. It was up to me to perform well and reduce that risk as much as possible.”
Russell himself reported after the Canadian Grand Prix that he would not sign a new contract with Mercedes for the time being, because Mercedes saw an opportunity to lure Verstappen. It didn’t come to that. On Thursday, Verstappen put an end to all the speculation by saying that he will also drive for Red Bull in 2026.
Russell is still waiting for a new contract
Yet Russell still does not have a new contract. Allegedly, the four-time Grand Prix winner wants a multi-year contract, while Mercedes would prefer to sign him for one year.
Russell, who contradicted himself a bit and said that he was never afraid of losing his place, does not know whether it is better to take his management into his own hands. “I hope it doesn’t have to come to that,” he continued.
“I still have confidence in Toto (team boss Toto Wolff, ed.) and in the team. As long as I perform, I believe they will support me. That’s what I have to focus on. But the past few months have not been particularly reassuring for both Kimi and me with a view to our future. That caused some friction, yes.”
The Grand Prix weekend in Hungary will continue on Friday at 5:00 PM with the second free practice. The qualification is scheduled for Saturday at 4:00 PM and the race is on Sunday at 3:00 PM.