Mercedes are now using a ‘classic’ negotiation tactic in George Russell’s contract talks amid Aston Martin interest

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Mercedes will know that they need to decide on the future of George Russell in the next few weeks.

George Russell couldn’t have done much more during the Canadian Grand Prix to prove that he’s one of the quickest drivers on the Formula 1 grid right now.

After a few races, it became clear that the drivers’ championship was going to be fought between the two McLaren drivers and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

McLaren had a clear pace advantage, and Verstappen is arguably the fastest driver on the grid right now.

The deficit Mercedes have had to McLaren for most of the current campaign explains why Russell is 62 points behind Oscar Piastri, but the British driver’s performances have been deserving of far better results.

This makes it all the more confusing that Russell is out of contract at the end of the season, and team principal Toto Wolff hasn’t already offered him a new deal.

However, journalist Jon Noble believes that this is a deliberate ploy from the Silver Arrows rather than any hesitation over Russell’s ability.

Mercedes may have an interest in signing Verstappen if he becomes available, but Russell is still more than likely to be their lead driver for the 2026 F1 season.

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Mercedes using ‘classic’ negotiation tactic in George Russell contract talks

Noble was speaking on The Race’s YouTube channel about the driver situation at Mercedes.

Russell’s teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli is also out of contract, and speaking about the future of their line-up, Noble said: “I think early on in the season the Max factor was still quite important.

“There was a lot of uncertainty about Red Bull’s position, how competitive it was going to be, what was Max’s thoughts going forward, was he looking at stepping out in 2026, was he going to continue.

“But I sense as time’s gone by, the Max elements kind of fallen into the background. Red Bull’s not had too disastrous a season, [and] Max has won some races.

“He needs a bit of a push to fight for the championship, but it’s not a million miles away. I think Max’s head also, he talks a lot about the team doing a lot and things clicking, so I think that’s fallen away now.

“So, the real issue now is ultimately down to timing and what happens. I think also from Mercedes’ perspective, this is classic negotiating tactics.

“You don’t want to force a deal too quickly because you weaken your negotiating hand, always good to keep them hungry, always good also to see how your current guys are doing.

“We saw, I know it’s a different situation, but Red Bull gave Sergio Perez a new contract after Monaco last year, convinced that it would settle him, make him feel a bit more confident, lift his performance, and it had the opposite effect.

“So, I think you’ve always got to keep your drivers hungry in F1 as well.”

READ MORE: All you need to know about Mercedes F1 Team from team principal to lineage

Aston Martin retain an interest in Mercedes driver George Russell

Russell’s most likely race seat next season is at Mercedes, as it seems more and more unlikely that Verstappen is going to part ways with Red Bull.

However, that hasn’t stopped Aston Martin from showing an interest in Russell as a potential leader of their project heading into the next era of Formula 1.

Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are both signed up for next season, but Lawrence Stroll has shown over the past few years that he only wants the best people at Aston Martin, and Russell fits into that category.

Aston Martin staff don’t believe there’s room for Russell in 2026, and there are question marks over how quickly Adrian Newey will be able to help the team become championship contenders and the strength of Honda’s power unit.

Russell’s best option is to stay exactly where he is, but stranger things have happened in the Formula 1 driver market in the past.