Jolyon Palmer tells ‘indispensable’ George Russell why he must only sign a one-year deal with Mercedes

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Mercedes star George Russell will arrive at the United States Grand Prix as the in-form driver on the grid.

All the noise heading into the Singapore Grand Prix was about whether Max Verstappen could make up more ground in the drivers’ championship on the two McLaren drivers.

He certainly did that, but it was George Russell who stole the show for Mercedes, taking pole position and comfortably winning the race.

Juan Pablo Montoya thinks Russell has the potential to reach Verstappen’s level, but so far in his career, he’s not been given a car capable of challenging the Dutchman for a championship.

That could all change in 2026 when F1’s regulations change, with many people in the paddock believing that Mercedes will have the best power unit next year.

Russell is still yet to sign a new deal with the Silver Arrows heading into next season.

Toto Wolff’s interest in signing Verstappen has caused issues for Russell, but former driver Jolyon Palmer believes that the 27-year-old is actually in the perfect position to sign a short-term deal with Mercedes, judging by the upcoming driver market.

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George Russell told to sign a short-term Mercedes contract with Ferrari and Aston Martin options available

Palmer was speaking about Russell’s future on the F1 Nation Podcast in the buildup to the United States Grand Prix.

He said: “Russell’s played a blinder, hasn’t he? Soak up a little bit of contract pressure in the summer, Max doesn’t take it, knock out a couple of great races, second in Baku, wins in Singapore, and then he says, right, where’s my contract now?

“Surely he’s indispensable to Mercedes.

“And imagine if, for whatever reason, George chooses not to sign for Mercedes.

“I mean, you have to say the other options for next year are not great for him. So he would be taking a bit of a hit out of principle there, but Mercedes would be stuffed.

“You’re heading to a new set of regs with Antonelli and another driver that you’re picking up from somewhere. All the established drivers that you’d want in the car are taken. They’d be absolutely stuffed for a massive championship-aspiring team. They need him.

“With all the opportunities open for 2027, there will be one at Ferrari, potentially, with Lewis out of contract at the end of next year.

“There will be Aston Martin, Fernando’s out of contract. I mean, I’m not saying they’ll move on, but there could be opportunities for a George Russell at his absolute peak.

“Who even knows what will be happening between Norris and Piastri then? There could be a chance if things do get heated between them.

“And Russell will just hold all the cards next year, even if he does just the one year.”

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Jolyon Palmer calls George Russell a ‘champion in waiting’ after impressive 2025 campaign

Reflecting on how he rates Russell compared to his rivals on the grid this season, Palmer continued: “I think he’s top class. So I think, Singapore Grand Prix, you’ve got Russell starting on pole, and I think you could have the faith that Russell in a Mercedes was capable of being a match to Verstappen and Red Bull.

“I think George is ticking all the boxes. I don’t think there’s really anything left that he’s not able to do right now. And I still think Mercedes, as a team, they know how to win races.

“They’ve not forgotten from their DNA of winning all those titles how to execute strategies, how to not be a rabbit in the headlights, looking at plans B or C or whatever.

“They know what they’re doing. And I do think when you look at Russell’s season, it’s starting to look like he is very much a champion in waiting, I think.”

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Who could try to sign George Russell in 2027 if Mercedes replace him next season?

There will be plenty of suitors for Russell if, as Palmer suggests, he’s potentially looking for a new team in 2027.

Verstappen taking his seat would open up a straight swap to Red Bull, although the team has revolved around the Dutchman for so long that Russell might struggle to get up to speed quickly.

The 28-year-old is also only likely to leave Red Bull if they’re not competitive, making him an unlikely destination for Russell.

Aston Martin have been linked with Russell in the past, and if Fernando Alonso retires, he would surely be high on their shortlist of replacements.

Lewis Hamilton choosing to depart from Ferrari would also give Fred Vasseur an intriguing decision to make, and Russell would be an option he would have to consider.