People in the F1 paddock are all saying one thing about George Russell after Canadian Grand Prix win

Follow us on Google Discover

Mercedes driver George Russell heads to the Austrian Grand Prix as the most in-form racer on the grid.

The Canadian Grand Prix saw George Russell return to the top step of the podium for the first time since last year’s race in Las Vegas.

Russell was joined on the podium by Mercedes teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli for the first time in Montreal, but has fully established himself as the number one driver for the Silver Arrows.

The drivers’ championship appears to be out of reach for Russell this season despite his strong form.

McLaren star Oscar Piastri sits on 198 points after the first 10 Grand Prix weekends, with Russell currently dealing with a 62-point deficit.

Russell has found himself at the centre of the Formula 1 driver market this season, with his Mercedes contract set to expire at the end of the year.

Aston Martin are interested in Russell in case he can’t agree terms with Mercedes, although it would be a huge surprise if team principal Toto Wolff couldn’t tie the four-time race winner down.

Russell has also held informal chats with Christian Horner as the Red Bull team boss explores his options in case Max Verstappen decides to leave.

However, the 27-year-old is gaining plenty of fans in the paddock too, after Russell was previously considered F1’s most underrated driver.

READ MORE: Mercedes driver George Russell’s life outside F1 from net worth to height

George Russell performing at ‘very high level’ with British Grand Prix announcement touted

A report from The Race has shared more details about the sentiment towards Russell within the sport.

They believe that the ‘sentiment in the paddock’ is that Russell is performing at a ‘very high level’ and has had no trouble replacing Lewis Hamilton as Mercedes’ team leader.

Although Russell and Mercedes don’t appear to have reached an agreement over his future, ‘one common suggestion’ is that Russell’s next contract will be confirmed at the upcoming British Grand Prix.

This would be the earliest Russell has ever signed a Formula 1 contract during the final year of one of his deals.

It would also put a large piece in the puzzle of next year’s grid if Russell was retained by Mercedes.

Antonelli would likely follow in his footsteps unless Verstappen offers his services to the Silver Arrows.

This would leave the seat alongside Verstappen, both Racing Bulls positions, the second Alpine seat and both Cadillac spot left to fill ahead of next season.

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

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

Russell has had to be patient throughout his Formula 1 career to discover whether he was going to sign a new contract each season.

However, Mercedes never rushed into agreeing new terms with Hamilton either, and Valtteri Bottas got fed up with only signing one-year deals with Mercedes during his time with the team.

The nature of the Formula 1 driver market means that Russell is likely to sign a multi-year contract to put him back in sync with many of the strongest drivers in the paddock.

It’s been suggested that Mercedes are using a ‘classic’ negotiation tactic during talks with Russell to make sure that they’re both getting the best deal.

Until an announcement is made and both parties confirm the details on any deal, Russell is still technically available to negotiate with other teams, although Mercedes will recognise that the 27-year-old’s growing reputation in the sport makes him an incredibly valuable asset.