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According to a recent report, George Russell has “received a promise” from Toto Wolff regarding his future at the Mercedes F1 team amid the Briton’s ongoing title fight with teammate Kimi Antonelli.
Mercedes were one of the last teams on the grid to finalise their driver line-up for the 2026 F1 season last year, with extensions being handed to George Russell and Kimi Antonelli after the former’s victory at the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix.
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Initially announced as a multi-year deal, it is currently understood that Russell signed a contract that guaranteed him a seat in 2026, with a performance-related clause deciding whether Mercedes are allowed to seek a replacement for 2027.
Now, Max Verstappen has been heavily linked with a seat at Mercedes over the past 12 months, following his restlessness at Red Bull. However, a recent report from Swiss outlet Blick has thrown a potential move for Verstappen to Brackley into the unknown.
George Russell has already ‘received a promise’ from Toto Wolff that his contract will be extended
During the Austrian Grand Prix race weekend, in which the Briton took home the winners’ trophy ahead of Verstappen and Antonelli, Russell claimed that he will “100 per cent” be remaining with Mercedes into the 2027 term.
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According to the report, Russell’s words may have stemmed from Toto Wolff issuing him a ‘promise’ that his current deal with the Silver Arrows will be extended into the future. As such, it severely hinders Verstappen’s chances of landing a seat at Mercedes.
Antonelli was also reported to have signed a one-year deal with the German constructor at the backend of 2025, but his record-breaking start to the current campaign means that it is highly likely that Wolff will also issue the young Italian a new deal as well.
With Russell now back in form and Antonelli already proving his worth by opening his Grand Prix victory account with five consecutive wins, it remains to be seen whether Verstappen has any more options on the table for an exit from Red Bull.
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Links between Verstappen and McLaren emerged during the Austrian Grand Prix, too, with it understood that Oscar Piastri isn’t satisfied with his position at the 2025 world champions. On top of that, Mark Webber has reportedly been trying to find Piastri a new team for months.
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