George Russell says he has “no hard feelings” about speculation linking Max Verstappen with Mercedes and is in “no rush” with his own contract negotiations to stay at the team.
Neither Russell nor team-mate Kimi Antonelli has been confirmed to retain a Mercedes seat for 2026, and earlier this year there was speculation Verstappen could make a shock switch to Mercedes following Red Bull’s disappointing start to the season.
Since then, Red Bull have got closer to McLaren and Verstappen added to his win in Suzuka with victory in Imola, but he remains is third in the Drivers’ Championship, 43 points behind leader Oscar Piastri.
Last year, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff made a public attempt to sign Verstappen but told Sky Sports F1 three months ago in March that a shock move for the reigning world champion was “not on the radar”.
Sky Sports News understands Verstappen has a clause in his contract that will allow him to leave Red Bull after this season, in the unlikely scenario he is not in the top four of the Drivers’ Championship at the start of the F1 summer break, following the Hungarian Grand Prix on August 3.
Verstappen is currently 41 points ahead of fifth-placed Charles Leclerc, with Russell fourth in the standings.
Red Bull launched a protest after the Canadian GP claiming George Russell allegedly drove erratically in front of Max Verstappen behind the Safety Car
“There haven’t been any hard feelings with any of the talks that have been going around, especially around Max,” said Russell following his triumph at the Canadian Grand Prix.
“Like I said numerous times, why wouldn’t teams be interested in Max? If every driver had no contracts for next year, Max would be No 1 for every single team. And that’s understandable.
“But ultimately, there are two seats for every race team. I knew if I continue to perform as I’m doing, my position would not be under threat whatsoever. So, I feel in a good place.”
Russell: I’m not talking to any other F1 teams
On Monday, Autosport reported Russell has been targeted by Aston Martin to lead their revival from 2026, despite Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll having contracts for next season.
Speaking before that report emerged, Russell insists he sees his future being at Mercedes.
“I’m not talking with anybody else and any teams who have shown interest,” he said.
Mercedes’ George Russell and Kimi Antonelli reflect on their first and third place finishes respectively in Canada
“I have been quite open to say my intentions are to stay with Mercedes. That’s always been clear. And I am loyal to Mercedes. They gave me this chance to get into Formula 1.”
Russell added: “We’re in no rush to do contract negotiations. We want to win together, especially Kimi and I being team-mates now.
“We’re getting a result like Canada, both junior drivers from Mercedes. We’re both doing the job in terms of performance. Why would you want to change something that’s working?”
George Russell takes a dig at Max Verstappen after beating him to take pole in Montreal
Wolff: Russell contract ‘all on plan’
Russell joined Mercedes from Williams in 2022 and has asserted himself as the team’s lead driver following the departure of Lewis Hamilton at the end of last year.
The 27-year-old scored just two fewer points than Hamilton over their three campaigns as team-mates and unquestionably had the upper hand over the seven-time world champion in their last season.
He has continued that strong form this year with four podiums, plus Mercedes’ first victory of 2025 at the Canadian Grand Prix.
Mercedes’ George Russell and Kimi Antonelli reflect on their first and third place finishes respectively in Canada
“He’s been so long with us,” said Mercedes team principal Wolff.
“He’s growing and the steps he’s made from that young driver in Williams, then coming to Mercedes at a difficult time, being on par with Lewis, and since Lewis left, being clearly the senior driver in the team, and it comes natural.
“It’s not like there’s some politics. He’s just taken the place that he merits and deserves. The ambience in the team is great, and we’ve agreed on some kind of timeline when we want to settle these things.
Toto Wolff felt George Russell’s pole in Canada as one of the best for Mercedes after pipping Max Verstappen at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
“With triple-headers getting out of the way, then one race after the other in June and July, but we’re going to get there.
“He’s been a Mercedes junior since he was 2016. It isn’t dependent on whether he wins a race or performs because we know he can.”
Asked by Sky Sports News at the premiere of the F1 movie about a new contract for Russell, Wolff concluded: “[It is] all on plan”.
Brundle on Russell’s ‘perfect’ Canada performance and his future
Sky Sports F1’s Martin Brundle:
“Canada was the perfect performance from George. Pole position, fastest lap, race win – pretty untroubled.
“When George gets up front like that, you don’t wonder how he’s going to cope with the pressure. You don’t even think about it.
“You know he’s not going to snatch his brakes or make a silly mistake. He’s on it and he’s got the speed, the consistency, the self-confidence, and it came through again in Canada.
“We saw last year he pretty much got the upper hand on Lewis. He’s flourished as team leader. He’s out of the shadow of Lewis, who he still refers to as ‘the GOAT’, which I respect, and says, ‘I learned from Lewis’.”
Martin Brundle looks back at some of Formula 1’s greatest ‘mavericks’
Brundle on why Mercedes are yet to agree a new contract with Russell:
“Former McLaren boss Ron Dennis used to say, ‘what’s the point in making a decision early if you’ve got the upper hand on a contractual position?’ It’s a bit like landing with a lot of runway behind you. It’s no good to you.
“I suspect they think it’s pushing George on. Maybe they think, ‘George is going well in this environment, let’s not waste the runway’.”
Next up for the 2025 Formula 1 season is a return to Europe for the Austrian Grand Prix, which is live on Sky Sports F1 from June 27-29. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Fantasy Football: Dynasty rookie wide receiver stashes for 2025
Tory Horton could get an early opportunity to produce in Seattle's new-look offense: The fifth-rounder is the rookie WR15 by ADP but has a clearer path to snaps than some of the first-year receivers being drafted ahead of him. Don't forget about undrafted free agents: Efton Chism III's dynasty stock is rising after his impressive college career, a reportedly strong minicamp and positive words from Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. Subscribe to PFF+: Get access to player grades, PFF Premium Stats, fantasy football rankings, all of the PFF fantasy draft research tools and more! Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes There's never time to take your foot off the pedal in dynasty fantasy football; it's a year-round process. Scouting the Ashton Jeantys and Cam Wards of the world for fantasy potential is the easy part. Finding the Kyren Williamses and Puka Nacuas […]
„Zum ersten Mal in meiner Karriere …“ – Pep-Revolution bei Manchester City!
Der Trainer hat entschieden – und das zum ersten Mal in seiner Laufbahn!Erling Haaland (24) soll zur neuen Saison die Kapitänsbinde von Manchester City tragen. Der Norweger beerbt damit Kevin de Bruyne (33), der ab Sommer bei Napoli unter Vertrag steht.<!-->]-->Kurios: Mit der Autoritäts-Entscheidung des neuen Kapitäns von Pep Guardiola bricht der Coach seine eigene Regel. Traditionell stimmten Spieler und Mitarbeiter des Teams im August über ihren neuen Spielführer ab. Nun alles anders!Lesen Sie auch<!-->[-->Guardiola: „Ich bin der Trainer und zum ersten Mal in meiner Karriere bestimme ich die Kapitäne. Mir hat nicht gefallen, was letzte Saison passiert ist, und ich entscheide, wer das Team vertreten wird.“Der Meistertrainer äußert damit seine Unzufriedenheit über die Art und Weise der letzten Kapitänswahl. Im vergangenen Sommer ernannte das Team Kyle Walker (35) zu ihrem Kapitän. Im Januar flüchtete der Engländer zum AC Mailand.Was für […]
„Zum ersten Mal in meiner Karriere …“ – Pep-Revolution bei Manchester City!
Der Trainer hat entschieden – und das zum ersten Mal in seiner Laufbahn!Erling Haaland (24) soll zur neuen Saison die Kapitänsbinde von Manchester City tragen. Der Norweger beerbt damit Kevin de Bruyne (33), der ab Sommer bei Napoli unter Vertrag steht.<!-->]-->Kurios: Mit der Autoritäts-Entscheidung des neuen Kapitäns von Pep Guardiola bricht der Coach seine eigene Regel. Traditionell stimmten Spieler und Mitarbeiter des Teams im August über ihren neuen Spielführer ab. Nun alles anders!Lesen Sie auch<!-->[-->Guardiola: „Ich bin der Trainer und zum ersten Mal in meiner Karriere bestimme ich die Kapitäne. Mir hat nicht gefallen, was letzte Saison passiert ist, und ich entscheide, wer das Team vertreten wird.“Der Meistertrainer äußert damit seine Unzufriedenheit über die Art und Weise der letzten Kapitänswahl. Im vergangenen Sommer ernannte das Team Kyle Walker (35) zu ihrem Kapitän. Im Januar flüchtete der Engländer zum AC Mailand.Was für […]
Caitlin Clark hunted in the WNBA: double aggression on the Fever star
Caitlin Clark and Jacy Sheldon were involved in a violent scuffle in the third quarter of the game between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.The battle broke out when Jacy Sheldon hit Caitlin Clark in the face, who indignantly turned against the Connecticut Sun player. In the brawl, Marina Mabrey came in to push Clark to the ground.Caitlin Clark needs to work on her body language as she appear fully annoyed with her teammateThe sanctions after the attacks by Jacy Sheldon and Marina Mabrey on Caitlin ClarkThere was a brawl in the middle of the court and the referees, who had to review the images, took several minutes to decide on the sanctions.Caitlin Clark, Marina Mabrey and Tina Charles were all assessed technical fouls, while Jacy Sheldon was called for a flagrant foul.From that moment on, […]
Fantasy Football Rankings 2025: Running back tiers
Ashton Jeanty has a legitimate shot to finish as RB1 in his rookie year: Jeanty's talent and opportunity in Year 1 are an ideal combination to project for an RB1 season. The 2023 rookie draft class takes over the top two spots: Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs have been all they were cracked up to be heading into the NFL through two seasons, and more of the same is expected in 2025. Subscribe to PFF+: Get access to player grades, PFF Premium Stats, fantasy football rankings, all of the PFF fantasy draft research tools and more! Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes Breaking fantasy football rankings down into tiers helps fantasy managers better understand what separates each group and how to value each player at the position for this coming season. TIER 1: The fantastic four This top tier at the […]
U21-EM – Wird Deutschland – Slowenien im Free-TV übertragen?
Kracher-Duell in der Slowakei!Im letzten und entscheidenden Gruppenspiel der U21-Europameisterschaft 2025 trifft die deutsche Auswahl auf Mitfavorit England. Nach dem souveränen 3:0-Erfolg gegen Slowenien und dem 4:2-Sieg über Tschechien geht es nun um den Gruppensieg in Gruppe B. SPORT BILD zeigt Ihnen, wo Sie das Topspiel live und kostenlos im Free-TV sehen können.Lesen Sie auch<!-->[-->Deutschland gegen England – ein Klassiker, auch bei der U21!2009 triumphierte das DFB-Team mit 4:0 im EM-Finale, 2017 folgte ein dramatischer Halbfinalsieg im Elfmeterschießen – beide Male wurde Deutschland Europameister. 2023 feierte England nach fast 40 Jahren wieder einen Titel und gehört auch bei der EM 2025 in der Slowakei zu den Favoriten. Mit Talenten wie Ethan Nwaneri (FC Arsenal) und Harvey Elliott (FC Liverpool) ist die Mannschaft stark besetzt. Dennoch läuft nicht alles rund: Ein 0:0 im letzten Spiel gegen Slowenien sorgt für Druck – […]
Related
Fantasy Football: Dynasty rookie wide receiver stashes for 2025
Tory Horton could get an early opportunity to produce in Seattle's new-look offense: The fifth-rounder is the rookie WR15 by ADP but has a clearer path to snaps than some of the first-year receivers being drafted ahead of him. Don't forget about undrafted free agents: Efton Chism III's dynasty stock is rising after his impressive college career, a reportedly strong minicamp and positive words from Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. Subscribe to PFF+: Get access to player grades, PFF Premium Stats, fantasy football rankings, all of the PFF fantasy draft research tools and more! Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes There's never time to take your foot off the pedal in dynasty fantasy football; it's a year-round process. Scouting the Ashton Jeantys and Cam Wards of the world for fantasy potential is the easy part. Finding the Kyren Williamses and Puka Nacuas […]
„Zum ersten Mal in meiner Karriere …“ – Pep-Revolution bei Manchester City!
Der Trainer hat entschieden – und das zum ersten Mal in seiner Laufbahn!Erling Haaland (24) soll zur neuen Saison die Kapitänsbinde von Manchester City tragen. Der Norweger beerbt damit Kevin de Bruyne (33), der ab Sommer bei Napoli unter Vertrag steht.<!-->]-->Kurios: Mit der Autoritäts-Entscheidung des neuen Kapitäns von Pep Guardiola bricht der Coach seine eigene Regel. Traditionell stimmten Spieler und Mitarbeiter des Teams im August über ihren neuen Spielführer ab. Nun alles anders!Lesen Sie auch<!-->[-->Guardiola: „Ich bin der Trainer und zum ersten Mal in meiner Karriere bestimme ich die Kapitäne. Mir hat nicht gefallen, was letzte Saison passiert ist, und ich entscheide, wer das Team vertreten wird.“Der Meistertrainer äußert damit seine Unzufriedenheit über die Art und Weise der letzten Kapitänswahl. Im vergangenen Sommer ernannte das Team Kyle Walker (35) zu ihrem Kapitän. Im Januar flüchtete der Engländer zum AC Mailand.Was für […]
„Zum ersten Mal in meiner Karriere …“ – Pep-Revolution bei Manchester City!
Der Trainer hat entschieden – und das zum ersten Mal in seiner Laufbahn!Erling Haaland (24) soll zur neuen Saison die Kapitänsbinde von Manchester City tragen. Der Norweger beerbt damit Kevin de Bruyne (33), der ab Sommer bei Napoli unter Vertrag steht.<!-->]-->Kurios: Mit der Autoritäts-Entscheidung des neuen Kapitäns von Pep Guardiola bricht der Coach seine eigene Regel. Traditionell stimmten Spieler und Mitarbeiter des Teams im August über ihren neuen Spielführer ab. Nun alles anders!Lesen Sie auch<!-->[-->Guardiola: „Ich bin der Trainer und zum ersten Mal in meiner Karriere bestimme ich die Kapitäne. Mir hat nicht gefallen, was letzte Saison passiert ist, und ich entscheide, wer das Team vertreten wird.“Der Meistertrainer äußert damit seine Unzufriedenheit über die Art und Weise der letzten Kapitänswahl. Im vergangenen Sommer ernannte das Team Kyle Walker (35) zu ihrem Kapitän. Im Januar flüchtete der Engländer zum AC Mailand.Was für […]
Caitlin Clark hunted in the WNBA: double aggression on the Fever star
Caitlin Clark and Jacy Sheldon were involved in a violent scuffle in the third quarter of the game between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.The battle broke out when Jacy Sheldon hit Caitlin Clark in the face, who indignantly turned against the Connecticut Sun player. In the brawl, Marina Mabrey came in to push Clark to the ground.Caitlin Clark needs to work on her body language as she appear fully annoyed with her teammateThe sanctions after the attacks by Jacy Sheldon and Marina Mabrey on Caitlin ClarkThere was a brawl in the middle of the court and the referees, who had to review the images, took several minutes to decide on the sanctions.Caitlin Clark, Marina Mabrey and Tina Charles were all assessed technical fouls, while Jacy Sheldon was called for a flagrant foul.From that moment on, […]
Fantasy Football Rankings 2025: Running back tiers
Ashton Jeanty has a legitimate shot to finish as RB1 in his rookie year: Jeanty's talent and opportunity in Year 1 are an ideal combination to project for an RB1 season. The 2023 rookie draft class takes over the top two spots: Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs have been all they were cracked up to be heading into the NFL through two seasons, and more of the same is expected in 2025. Subscribe to PFF+: Get access to player grades, PFF Premium Stats, fantasy football rankings, all of the PFF fantasy draft research tools and more! Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes Breaking fantasy football rankings down into tiers helps fantasy managers better understand what separates each group and how to value each player at the position for this coming season. TIER 1: The fantastic four This top tier at the […]
U21-EM – Wird Deutschland – Slowenien im Free-TV übertragen?
Kracher-Duell in der Slowakei!Im letzten und entscheidenden Gruppenspiel der U21-Europameisterschaft 2025 trifft die deutsche Auswahl auf Mitfavorit England. Nach dem souveränen 3:0-Erfolg gegen Slowenien und dem 4:2-Sieg über Tschechien geht es nun um den Gruppensieg in Gruppe B. SPORT BILD zeigt Ihnen, wo Sie das Topspiel live und kostenlos im Free-TV sehen können.Lesen Sie auch<!-->[-->Deutschland gegen England – ein Klassiker, auch bei der U21!2009 triumphierte das DFB-Team mit 4:0 im EM-Finale, 2017 folgte ein dramatischer Halbfinalsieg im Elfmeterschießen – beide Male wurde Deutschland Europameister. 2023 feierte England nach fast 40 Jahren wieder einen Titel und gehört auch bei der EM 2025 in der Slowakei zu den Favoriten. Mit Talenten wie Ethan Nwaneri (FC Arsenal) und Harvey Elliott (FC Liverpool) ist die Mannschaft stark besetzt. Dennoch läuft nicht alles rund: Ein 0:0 im letzten Spiel gegen Slowenien sorgt für Druck – […]
Be the first to leave a comment