George Russell will love to hear what Mercedes chief just said after their ‘scaled back’ F1 upgrade

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George Russell is currently chasing a top-three finish in the Formula 1 standings for the first time in his career.

The Mercedes driver has one win and five podiums to show for his efforts in 2025, leading the Silver Arrows team excellently since Lewis Hamilton’s departure.

Now just 15 points behind Max Verstappen in the drivers’ championship, the next 10 races will decide whether he can set a new personal record.

With second in the constructors’ standings on the line against Ferrari, Russell has plenty to play for across the rest of the campaign before the start of the 2026 F1 regulations.

Russell revealed what ‘direction’ Mercedes contract talks are going in, with his future plans yet to be announced post-summer break.

There’s a chance that his team sees one clear reason why Kimi Antonelli deserves a longer contract than he does, despite his lack of experience.

READ MORE: Toto Wolff could be about to break one George Russell promise amid 2026 Mercedes contract talks

George Russell will love to hear what Bradley Lord just said about Mercedes’ ‘scaled back’ F1 upgrade

Toto Wolff can ‘manipulate’ Russell’s Mercedes contract when it comes to sitting down and talking about a new deal.

There’s hope that much like the significant rule changes in 2014, the German manufacturer will burst out of the blocks with a strong power unit.

They have been inconsistent for the majority of 2025, but Chief Communications Officer Bradley Lord has just offered some exciting comments that Russell will love to hear about the team being just behind McLaren at the Dutch Grand Prix.

“We believe we’ve built a much more stable foundation with the car now that we’ve scaled back the rear suspension. Both drivers have said the feeling is back, and that’s very good for confidence,” he told ORF.

“And then we just need to do the right work, optimise everything on race weekend. Hopefully, we can be in the mix. Behind the McLarens, probably, but right in the middle of the podium fight.”

READ MORE: Toto Wolff shares what he told George Russell during ‘tough’ Mercedes 2026 contract talks

George Russell shares the ‘truth’ behind Mercedes’ drop in F1 performance

Mercedes have been very track-dependent for much of the season, but haven’t shown as much strength on some tracks as in 2024.

For example, in 2024, they were exceptional on cold tracks, with both drivers winning multiple races. This year, they have just the one victory after 14 races.

Russell shared the ‘truth’ behind Mercedes’ drop and believes that it’s down to shifting their focus to next year.

On the other hand, it does mean that they might be carving an advantage for the future, while their rivals continue to work on this year’s car.