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For all the column inches and social media speculation during most of this year’s Formula One season, george russell He was rarely daunted by the innumerable questions coming his way. Week after week, with a smile and a furrowed brow, the 27-year-old has bounced back time and time again Tips to get over a shock From mercedes Despite the 2025 season and its original deal, just six rounds away from conclusion.
Still there was no hurry. Once max verstappen Was committed to Red Bull for next seasonOfficially back in July, it was merely a formality, and now both Russell and his 19-year-old Italian teammate kmy antonelli New terms are written with mercedesImportantly, Independent It is understood that Russell has signed a multi-year extension to 2026 and beyond.
“Confirming our driver lineup was always a matter of when, not if,” Mercedes said. f1 ceo Toto Wolff“We wanted to take our time, handle the negotiations properly and make sure everyone on all sides was happy.”
For Russell, who has scored two wins this year in Canada and Singapore, taking his total to five, it is a fitting reward for his best season to date in F1. Notably, he has emerged as the team’s No. 1 driver in the absence of Lewis Hamilton.
In a typically temperamental Mercedes car that, at its worst, has been fourth fastest on the grid, the Briton from King’s Lynn has routinely squeezed every last drop of performance out of himself and his machinery to take eight podiums in total. his sterling drive to another location Last month in Azerbaijan, despite illness, was testament to his meticulous and intensive off-season training block.
But the delay in today’s announcement is an example of a driver who, going into his fifth season with Mercedes and ninth in F1, knows what he wants and where he stands.
A new salary in the region of £30 million a year would make Russell the third-highest earner on the grid behind Red Bull’s Verstappen and Ferrari’s Hamilton. No small print was overlooked, with Russell (unusually managed by the team for which he races in Mercedes) being keen to limit the number of sponsor-related engagements away from the racetrack, prioritizing rest and recuperation between race weekends.
For example, 12 hours after that Won in Singapore a fortnight agoRussell was in Kuala Lumpur for his annual visit to Mercedes in partnership with title sponsor Petronas. Upon arrival he said, “Feeling a bit tired now, had a few hours of sleep and am already in Malaysia.” In their new deal, no stone was left unturned in guaranteeing the quantity and location of future appearances.
This is not dissimilar to Hamilton’s own desire to curb off-track outings in his last, most successful years with the Silver Arrows. It might seem like a minor thing in the life of a sports superstar who can afford the luxury of a private jet — Russell actually joked in the Netflix Formula 1: drive to survive How he’s one of the few major drivers who frequently flies commercial – but in a game of marginal mileage, Russell is adamant that his own lifestyle choices can make as much difference to performance as a new rear-wing or suspension upgrade.
Besides, there was absolutely no point for Russell to set his sights elsewhere. All the talk in the paddock is that Mercedes is the early front-runner for next season, when new engine and chassis rules threaten to shake up the pecking order.
Wolff and his team executed the last large-scale engine rule-change in 2014, which sparked The most influential eras in sports historyThe Brackley team will be very keen to say goodbye to this ground-effect era of the car, which has produced only seven wins in 86 races, and are excited for a new dawn.
And for some time now Russell has firmly stated that he is ready for a title challenge. he told Independent Back in May his overall performance had undoubtedly improved, as had his uncharacteristic satisfaction with life at home in Monaco, away from the racetrack. His performance supports that claim.
When will his opportunity come? Signs currently point to a 2026 charge for the championship, as Mercedes’ de facto No. 1 driver (unlike McLaren this year, future intra-team tensions at Mercedes are unlikely given Antonelli’s inexperience) and the fastest British driver in the sport at the moment.
Sure, Lando Norris could be 77 points ahead of Russell this year Intra-team title fight With Oscar Piastri, whom he trails by 22 points. But their ranking as the top two in the drivers’ championship is entirely dependent on McLaren’s superiority. Given the difference in performance, Russell deserves praise for being within a century of his compatriot.
So Russell can now begin his efforts on the racetrack and away from the boardroom this weekend in Austin, Texas. With all the possibilities for next season, they would be forgiven for not looking beyond 2025. Coincidentally, four-time world champion Verstappen remains Wolff’s target for 2027, potentially setting up a blockbuster partnership down the line. russell fanatic throwing down the gauntlet Wolff stood next to Britain in support of its arch rival in Abu Dhabi last year captivating press conferenceWas the epitome of a man who is now aware of his value to Mercedes and his potential in the game.
But finally, after almost a decade in F1, Russell should get the opportunity he so desperately craves next year.