George Russell’s Mercedes F1 Contract Extension 'Merely A Formality', Says Toto Wolff

Last Updated:August 30, 2025, 16:00 IST

Toto Wolff says George Russell’s Mercedes contract extension is a formality, with talks paused over summer. Kimi Antonelli gets support despite struggles.

F1: Mercedes driver George Russell (AP)

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has insisted that George Russell’s contract extension with the team is essentially assured, even though the official confirmation for 2026 has been delayed.

The uncertainty has fueled speculation about Russell’s Formula 1 future, particularly as other teams have already locked in their driver lineups for the new regulations era.

Mercedes is widely expected to continue with Russell alongside 19-year-old rookie Kimi Antonelli. However, the delay in announcing Russell’s deal has been linked to Mercedes’ interest in Max Verstappen, who has since committed to staying at Red Bull beyond 2025.

“We clearly know what we expect from each other, what we want. It’s a formality," Wolff said at the Dutch Grand Prix on Friday.

“At the same time, it’s important to discuss even the slightest details," he added, pointing to areas such as “how can we extract the most performance out of George?" and the structure of his marketing obligations.

Contract talks paused during summer break

Both Wolff and Russell confirmed this week that discussions were paused over Formula 1’s midseason break and have since resumed.

“Toto and the team were very willing to work through the summer break to come to a resolution, but I wanted just to take that time because those two weeks are pretty precious for all of us," Russell explained on Thursday.

The 26-year-old Briton, who joined Mercedes in 2022 after three seasons at Williams, downplayed any urgency over signing the new deal.

“There’s no major rush and I don’t want to really put a timeline on it," he said. “When it will happen, it will happen. If that’s next week, a month, two months, three months, it will be what it will be."

Antonelli given backing despite difficult run

While Russell’s future appears secure, Wolff also offered strong words of support for Antonelli, who is in his first season of Formula 1 after being promoted from Formula 2.

“We just continue to believe in him. He needs time," Wolff said. “We are fully on the mission, and single race weekends or a session like we had before (on Friday) is not going to change our opinion. Short term, we’re going to say, ‘That’s not good,’ but Kimi is a long-term investment."

(with Reuters inputs)

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

Read More

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First Published:

August 30, 2025, 16:00 IST

News sports George Russell’s Mercedes F1 Contract Extension 'Merely A Formality', Says Toto Wolff

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