Toto Wolff said at Zandvoort that Mercedes plan to keep George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli for the 2026 F1 season, even though neither has a deal in place yet.
Russell’s current contract runs until the end of this year, after signing an extension in August 2023. Antonelli, meanwhile, is on a one-year deal for his rookie campaign, having stepped in to fill the gap left by Lewis Hamilton’s departure.
The Briton has taken over as Mercedes’ team leader this season and has scored 194 of their 260 points so far. He also has their only win and pole position this year, along with six of their seven podiums.
In June, Russell secured Mercedes’ win at the 2025 Canadian GP, starting from pole position. Antonelli also achieved his first podium at the event, finishing in third place.
But the Englishman was left waiting for clarity on his future until later in the summer, while Wolff kept an eye on whether Max Verstappen might become available from Red Bull for 2026.
Toto Wolff’s hesitation to give George Russell a new contract has ‘surprised’ Mercedes
During the Hungarian Grand Prix, Verstappen confirmed he will remain with Red Bull for the 2026 season. His exit clause was not activated this year as he was in the top three of the drivers’ standings by the summer break. However, next year, the Dutchman will only need to be outside the top two for it to apply.
Even though Verstappen is no longer an option for now, Mercedes still have not finalised contracts for either Russell or Antonelli. According to Blick, some within the team are surprised that Wolff has not secured at least one seat for 2026 yet.
The lack of movement around Russell is particularly noticeable given his strong performances. The Italian prospect, meanwhile, has found it tough going lately, picking up points in just three of the last ten races: third in Canada, tenth in Hungary and ninth in Italy.
Alex Albon has surpassed Antonelli in the standings, now holding seventh place. Heading into the Azerbaijan GP in Baku, Albon has accumulated 70 points from 16 rounds, four more than Antonelli’s 66.
Negotiations over a new contract continue between George Russell and Toto Wolff
While there have been reports suggesting that Russell and Mercedes have agreed terms for 2026, there has not yet been an official announcement. Both parties are still ironing out the details regarding what comes after, looking at his role with the team beyond just one more season.
The talks are not just about race plans, either. The Briton is said to be unhappy with the growing list of marketing and media duties tied to his contract, feeling that they eat into time he would rather spend training.
Even though Wolff mentioned at Zandvoort that Mercedes plan to keep both drivers for 2026, nothing has been signed yet. Still, there is no suggestion Antonelli will be loaned out. He appears set to remain part of their line-up in some role next season.
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