Mercedes have found themselves right in the middle of this season’s driver market activity.
When Lewis Hamilton made the switch from Mercedes to Ferrari last year, several teams took advantage of the opening to lock in their line-ups, handing out multi-year deals to secure their choices.
READ MORE: Ralf Schumacher says one rookie’s debut proves he’s not ‘the next Max Verstappen’
Toto Wolff couldn’t do the same. George Russell was already under contract through 2025, while rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli was given a one-year deal so the team could see how he performed before making any longer-term decisions.
Russell has been one of the standouts this season and is currently sitting fourth in the drivers’ championship.
He’s one of four drivers, including Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, to have won a Grand Prix this year, dominating the race weekend in Canada.
Russell has always been clear that he wants to stay at Mercedes, even if talks about a new deal haven’t moved quickly.
But with Max Verstappen potentially joining Mercedes down the line, that possibility is hanging over him and influencing his contract discussions.
It’s not just slowing down negotiations – it’s also making it harder for him to get what he wants out of them.
Mercedes may offer George Russell one-year deal he doesn’t want
ESPN has added more information about what’s happening at Mercedes as they look ahead to next season.
Earlier, it was reported that Russell was close to agreeing a £30m-a-year deal. But the driver said during the Hungarian Grand Prix, just before the summer break, that he didn’t expect anything to be finalised before Zandvoort.
The report adds that ‘sources with knowledge of the driver market’ believe Mercedes and Russell are not on the same page.
The team is looking to offer Russell a one-year contract, keeping their options open in case Verstappen becomes available in 2027 if he decides to leave Red Bull.
Russell wants something longer-term, but being managed by Mercedes means Toto Wolff holds most of the cards here. Antonelli is likely to stay for another year, but without a standout rookie season like Hamilton or Verstappen had, he’s not in a strong position to push for more than that.
Some have suggested Russell should take whatever short-term deal is offered so he can keep his options open elsewhere if better opportunities come up. At this point, with Mercedes holding most of the leverage, he might not have much choice anyway.
Why Mercedes’ short-term plan could put George Russell in a tough spot
There’s been a lot of talk about what Mercedes might do next season, especially with George Russell’s contract situation still up in the air.
Toto Wolff has only one driver locked in for 2025, with Antonelli on a one-year deal and Russell’s contract set to expire at the end of this season.
Even though Russell is managed by Mercedes, he hasn’t shown much concern over his future. There were earlier reports suggesting he was close to signing a £30 million-a-year extension.
Russell has been open about the situation, saying: “We haven’t made any progress with my new contract. But I am not worried. It will be sorted at some point.”
The issue for Russell is that Verstappen remains Mercedes’ top target for 2027, and that leaves him in an uncertain position.
It puts him at a disadvantage during talks because there aren’t many teams looking to sign drivers right now – most have their line-ups settled into next year or even beyond.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
