George Russell 'contract update' as Brit can swerve awkward Max Verstappen scenario

George Russell is reportedly heading for a multi-year contract extension that will see him remain with Mercedes long into the new technical regulations. This means that Kimi Antonelli, not the Brit, will be at risk of losing his seat to Max Verstappen next season.

Russell and Antonelli have been made to wait for their renewed terms. Both drivers are out of contract at the end of the season and, despite Mercedes' most recent attempt to lure Verstappen to Brackley falling short before the summer break, Toto Wolff is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal with either racer. According to a report from The Athletic, though, a 'multi-year deal' is allegedly 'on the table' for the 27-year-old. The relaxed pace of negotiations with Russell can be attributed, at least over the past month, to the Brit's own preference.

At the Dutch Grand Prix, Russell revealed that his team principal offered to return to the negotiating table during the summer break to finalise a deal. This was turned down by the driver from King's Lynn, who opted for a complete detox from F1 activity.

"I definitely wanted to take the summer to really think about my future, because it's obviously important for everybody when you're discussing the coming years," he told Sky Sports F1. "The team and Toto were very open to discussing or finding a solution during the break, but I just wanted to take that time.

"There are pros and cons in terms of duration. The truth is, I just want to win, and I want to win with Mercedes. If I could choose, that is what I would choose to do. But, of course, things have to be right, things have to be aligned - there's a lot more to our job than just driving on a Sunday afternoon.

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"It's positively moving in the right direction, but there's no time pressure from my side, there's no major time pressure from the team's side, so I just want to ensure it's done right, and not done quickly."

On the track, there is still plenty left for Russell to fight for over the remaining eight rounds of the 2025 calendar. The Brit is 36 points behind third-placed Verstappen in the Drivers' Championship standings, and only 31 ahead of Charles Leclerc, who has scored four podiums in his last eight outings for Ferrari.

The battle with Leclerc is particularly important, given the proximity of Mercedes to second-placed Ferrari in the Constructors' Championship standings. The Silver Arrows trail the Italian squad by 20 points, but with Antonelli struggling to deliver a consistent stream of results, the onus is on Russell to lead his team's charge.