Top News

George Russell insists he is not being "strung along" by Mercedes after signing a new deal with the Silver Arrows. His latest contract means he will race for the team again in 2026 while sources have indicated that the extension is a multi-year agreement.

But given how strongly Mercedes have been linked with a move for Max Verstappen, doubts remain over whether it actually secures Russell's place. After all, the Brit was believed to be the one at risk of losing his race seat if his team had managed to convince the Dutchman to walk away from Red Bull.

Verstappen's future is likely to be a huge talking point again next year. His manager, Raymond Vermeulen, has already publicly stated that other options on the grid will be considered if Red Bull are not competitive in 2026.

Mercedes would surely test the waters should the four-time champion become available. But, if that happens, Russell insists his new contract comes with some built-in protection for him, if his team were to secure Verstappen's signature.

"It is something I haven't actually said publicly," he told The Telegraph. "But the deal: Is if I'm performing [next year] we have a specific clause that if I reach it, we will automatically renew for 2027.

"So my seat for 2027 is in my hands. So I'm not being strung along here. We're not going to be in the same position as we were six months ago. If I perform, and I don't want to go into details, but if I perform, then 100 percent I'll be staying."

READ MORE: George Russell demands F1 track is changed as Brit left fuming by Max Verstappen

READ MORE: Top Tech: Sky Sports fans race to bag £120 discount and £1 add-on in flash sale

If Russell performs, that then puts rookie team-mate Kimi Antonelli in the firing line next year. It also raises the mouth-watering prospect of a Russell-Verstappen driver line-up at Mercedes, pairing two drivers who have had several public spats in the past.

"I would relish going up against him – we all believe we are the best, I don't see why he wouldn't," said Russell. "Max is an incredible driver, there's no denying that. [But] it's obviously more of a lose-lose situation for him.

"The same as when I was team-mates with Lewis [Hamilton]. If he beat me, he was expected to, but if he lost to me, it’s seen as a big loss. It's the same with me and Kimi [Antonelli] now. But we’re getting well ahead of ourselves here."

Regarding their relationship, he added: "We're fine, we just say hello to each other. We don't really speak, but we don't ignore each other. I don't lose sleep over it and, for sure, he doesn't lose sleep over it. So it doesn't bother me one single bit. Life is short. We're all adults, we all learn from these experiences.

"You don't need to be best mates as team-mates. [Ayrton] Senna and [Alain] Prost weren’t good friends, and they still finished one-two. Lewis and Nico [Rosberg], one-two. Obviously, Lewis and Fernando [Alonso, in 2007] is a notable exception. But Lewis should have won that year."