George Russell has dropped a significant trace that he’ll nonetheless be a Mercedes F1 driver subsequent yr.
The Briton is the very best profile F1 driver and not using a contract for 2026 and is but to signal a brand new cope with Mercedes regardless of his spectacular begin to the 2025 season which sees him sit fourth within the championship behind solely the McLaren duo and Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen.
Mercedes staff principal Toto Wolff has prompt {that a} new contract for Russell will occur, in addition to regularly batting away the prospect of attempting to lure Verstappen to the Silver Arrows.
However so long as a contract goes unsigned, rumours about Russell’s future is not going to go away, with a latest report by The Instances claiming that Aston Martin have an interest within the three-time grand prix winner.
Talking in an interview with Motorsport-Whole, Russell appeared to let slip that he’ll stay at Mercedes subsequent yr when he stated “that is now my fourth yr at Mercedes, subsequent yr might be my fifth”.
When the interviewer injertegcted to ask: “Is that sure?”, Russell replied: “No, it’s not sure. Nothing is definite.
“But when I stick with Mercedes, subsequent yr might be my fifth yr with the staff. No person is aware of when their time will come. You simply need to just remember to preserve performing constantly, preserve delivering.
“And what occurs then – solely time will inform.”
What Mercedes have stated
Wolff has indicated that Russell signing a brand new cope with Mercedes is a formality and one thing he intends to occur earlier than the summer season break in August.
Requested if affirmation may drag on till the tip of the summer season, Wolff acknowledged: “No, positively not that lengthy.
“George and I are completely clear on how that is going to go and 100 per cent alignment. There isn’t a such factor as dragging this on as a result of that is not what we do.”
Mercedes chief communications officer Bradley Lord lately advised Sky Sports activities F1: “We’re below no rush. We handle George’s profession as effectively, being the staff he drives for for the time being.
“We all know there is no stress. He is absolutely targeted on how we carry out on this triple-header and the way we preserve the automotive shifting ahead.
“Then, on the proper time, him and Toto will sit down and it would not take terribly lengthy to thrash these items out. It hasn’t occurred but nevertheless it actually will within the weeks and months forward.”
