George Russell’s new Mercedes contract could contain the same clause that led to Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari exit

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George Russell is now set to sign a new contract at Mercedes. He entered the second half of the season without a deal for next year despite his excellent performances.

Russell is fourth in the world championship after finishing fifth at last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, another race where he appeared to maximise the car’s potential. Only the two McLaren drivers have scored more podiums than his five, and he also delivered a commanding victory at the Canadian GP.

For 2026 at least, Max Verstappen joining Mercedes is out of the question. The two parties held talks, but Verstappen opted against the move.

As a result, a report in the British press on Monday suggested that Russell is in line for a £30m-a-year contract extension. Teammate Kimi Antonelli will also see his deal renewed.

George Russell’s new Mercedes contract could be a 1+1, not two years amid Max Verstappen interest

With the contract itself looking like a formality, attention turns to the exact terms. It’s important to note that Mercedes’ Verstappen pursuit is not at an end.

Indeed, it emerged during the Spa weekend that Red Bull are willing to let Verstappen leave for 2027 should he desire. Mercedes can convince him by producing a superior package under the new regulations.

Toto Wolff will want to keep that option open. And according to Mundo Deportivo, there’s a ‘strong possibility’ he’ll hand Russell a one-plus-one contract, rather than a guaranteed two years.

That gives Mercedes the desired flexibility, and there’s ‘little doubt’ that the rumours will continue. It was previously claimed that Wolff would include an Antonelli clause in Russell’s deal, voiding his second year if his teammate outscores him, though that currently looks unrealistic.

What Toto Wolff refused to give Lewis Hamilton before he joined Ferrari

Intriguingly, Lewis Hamilton also signed a one-plus-one contract in 2023, with both driver and team able to opt out of year two. That enabled him to make the switch to Ferrari.

Hamilton wanted a firm multi-year commitment from Mercedes, but Wolff refused. He may have felt somewhat undervalued as a consequence.

One could forgive Russell for feeling the same way amid the lengthy delay. Antonelli is enduring a major slump right now, having failed to score a point since his maiden podium, and should arguably be the driver at risk instead.

But Mercedes see a Russell/Verstappen partnership as untenable given the historical animosity between the two. And they retain faith that Antonelli will be a championship-level driver in the long term.