Nico Rosberg has urged that the continued contract stand-off between Mercedes and George Russell is expounded to wage.
Russell, who has been one of many standout performers this season, is anticipated to be retained alongside rookie Kimi Antonelli for 2026 however Mercedes are but to formally verify both driver.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has insisted that the staff will proceed with Russell and Antonelli as their drivers subsequent yr, however the 27-year-old Briton’s contract continues to be not finalised.
The size of time it has taken to agree a brand new deal has raised questions over Russell’s long-term future with the staff, notably as Mercedes had been exploring a transfer for Max Verstappen earlier than the four-time world champion reaffirmed his dedication to Pink Bull.
And 2016 world champion Rosberg claims Russell is now “combating Toto together with his personal drugs” as he seeks higher phrases.
Is wage and sponsorship the important thing to delays?
“It’s horrible to barter with Toto and he simply disappears off planet earth if you’re making an attempt to get higher phrases. He simply disappears and simply doesn’t even allow you to speak with him. It’s horrible. I suffered so much,” Rosberg advised The F1 Present.
“However now, it’s George doing the type of reverse to Toto. It’s like he’s combating Toto together with his personal drugs. George apparently is simply not proud of a few phrases within the contract. George is a Mercedes junior, so actually he received’t be on a Lando Norris-level wage, by far and away not, and George feels Lando is the same as him.
“George, by any means, can drive at Lando’s stage and might win races and championships if he has the automobile. So after all, he’ll really feel a little bit little bit of that’s not fairly honest, that I’m so far-off from Lando’s wage.
“After which additionally, there’s issues like sponsor days. These days, these groups have so many sponsors, paying a lot cash, and the one approach for a staff to provide again to a sponsor is after all brand house, which is proscribed. And so they need driver time. They need their clients to have the ability to meet George Russell, and they also’re utilizing the drivers a lot.
“I’m not allowed to say it’s painful for us, as a result of everyone watching might be like, ‘shut up, you recognize, you earn a lot cash, all you must do is go to a sponsor occasion, shake some palms, take some footage, and I’m saying it’s painful’, however it’s actually painful!
“So George additionally there, will attempt to cut back.. The quantity can go as much as like 60 days or one thing, 60 in 356 days. That’s a variety of days. And a few of these 60 days are break up into half days. So it could actually really be like 80 days. That’s so much, like when all we need to do is go to the Nordschleife and go racing in GT3 vehicles.”
Sky Sports activities F1 commentator David Croft added: “A part of George’s considering can be, ‘I’m a unique driver. I’m a stronger driver and higher driver than I used to be the final time I signed a contract, and I’m main this staff, particularly now Lewis [Hamilton] has left, and I deserve recompense for that.’”
