Toto Wolff could insert ‘wily’ clause into new George Russell contract with an eye on 2027 Max Verstappen move

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George Russell could soon sign a new contract at Mercedes. Despite starring in 2025, he’s entered the second half of the season without a new deal in place.

But it emerged on Friday that Mercedes are preparing to announce Russell’s extension, as well as a fresh commitment to teammate Kimi Antonelli. Their chances of signing Max Verstappen for next year have receded further.

The move was always a long shot. Indeed, there have been indications that Verstappen has been talking to Mercedes about 2027.

Thus, the threat will remain for Russell if and when he pens a new contract. The 27-year-old recently won his fourth Grand Prix in Canada and has stood on the podium 20 times.

George Russell can ‘forget about’ staying at Mercedes if Kimi Antonelli beats him next year

A report from De Limburger reiterates that, as per Mercedes insiders, ‘an announcement is imminent’. Russell will sign a multi-year contract, not just a 12-month extension.

But that doesn’t mean his future at Mercedes is ‘guaranteed’. Toto Wolff will ‘fully commit’ to signing Verstappen if Red Bull struggle following the 2026 regulation changes, which could be the last straw for the world champion.

Wolff may still be able to release Russell while he’s under contract. ‘No matter what’, the ‘wily’ team manager will ensure there’s a performance clause in the deal.

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That’s likely to mean Russell’s deal is void if he doesn’t beat Antonelli. ‘He can forget about staying’ if the youngster overhauls him.

While this seems unrealistic for the moment given the 84-point gap between the two, it’s worth remembering that Oscar Piastri took a significant leap in his second season after lagging well behind Lando Norris at first. That made the Australian a genuine threat to his teammate.

Wolff believes Antonelli can emulate Piastri, and Mercedes are convinced this is a driver with the potential to win multiple championships.

George Russell and Max Verstappen could form a superteam – here’s why Mercedes won’t pair them

The obvious question to ask here is why Wolff doesn’t want to sign Verstappen alongside Russell. In theory, Antonelli may have a higher ceiling, but for the moment, the Englishman is one of the top performers on the grid.

Mercedes could form a ‘superteam’ by pairing the four-time champion with the driver who beat Lewis Hamilton twice in three years. But they have two main objections.

Wolff doesn’t want to damage Antonelli’s development by loaning him to another team, a measure that could be expensive. What’s more, they don’t think a Verstappen/Russell partnership would work due to the long-running tension between the two.

Russell is bound to attract interest from big-hitters in the F1 driver market if he ever becomes available.