How George Russell’s £30m Mercedes salary compares to McLaren rival Lando Norris

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George Russell has signed a new contract to stay with the Mercedes F1 team for 2026, it was announced on Wednesday. Russell will continue alongside Kimi Antonelli.

Though the team only mentioned next year in their press release, it’s widely reported that Russell has signed a multi-year contract. What’s not known at this stage is whether those additional seasons are guaranteed.

Mercedes are known to be interested in Max Verstappen, so Toto Wolff will want at least one seat open for 2027 if the world champion is dissatisfied with Red Bull’s performance under the new regulations.

This hasn’t stopped Russell earning a handsome pay rise, according to The Times. His new deal is believed to be worth ‘in the region’ of £30m per year.

George Russell is now earning more at Mercedes than Lando Norris does at McLaren

Previously, Russell was on an estimated £17m at Mercedes, so his salary has almost doubled. This is reward for perhaps his finest season to date.

Reports have suggested that Russell wanted a salary comparable to Lando Norris, the McLaren F1 star. He’s a natural point of comparison given that they entered the sport in the same year (2019) after battling for the F2 title.

It seems Russell has got his way, because Norris is believed to be earning £26m at McLaren. He negotiated those terms ahead of the 2024 season.

As the table above shows, Norris beats Russell in all the most significant categories. But this largely reflects the superiority of the McLaren car since the late spring of last year.

Jenson Button thinks Russell is driving as well as Max Verstappen, albeit in a car that’s not quick enough to compete for a title. He’s beaten teammate Kimi Antonelli in almost every competitive session this year, having comfortably dispatched seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton last term.

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Russell’s new contract slots him into third place on the grid, a reflection of his growing standing within the sport. He’s now leapfrogged Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Aston Martin’s two-time champion Fernando Alonso (both around £20m).

He’s still some way from the top two of Hamilton and Verstappen, both of whom fetch roughly £55m (with the Red Bull driver marginally ahead).

Mercedes are the favourites for the 2026 regulations, and Russell looks ready to win a title. Should he do so, he could make inroads into that chasm, though he’ll need to grow his commercial value too.

Aston Martin are interested in Russell, so billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll might get often involved in a bidding war if he’s back on the market in the coming years.