Mercedes have confirmed that George Russell will continue with the team for 2026 after months of speculation over his contract renewal.
The British driver entered the last year of his current contract and was yet to sign a new deal.
His future was left uncertain when Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was seen entertaining four-time World Champion Max Verstappen.
It was confirmed the team were actively pursuing the Red Bull driver in the hopes of coaxing him in, but Verstappen doubled down on his allegiance to his team.
Russell and Wolff have been consistently hounded over contract questions, to which both have said it will happen.
The five-time Grand Prix winner was confident in his future and was never worried about not being resigned, and it seems now the speculation can be put to rest.
Mercedes revealed on October 15 that both Russell and teammate Kimi Antonelli "will continue as the team's driver line-up into 2026."
It's official 😉
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) October 15, 2025
We are delighted to confirm that George Russell and Kimi Antonelli will continue as the team’s driver line-up into 2026
The statement doesn't allude to any new contracts or contract extensions.
The news comes following Russell's win at the Singapore Grand Prix, which saw Antonelli finish in 5th place.
Russell is currently fourth in the standings, 99 points behind leader Oscar Piastri.
In the team's statement, the 27 year old said he was "proud to continue the journey together".
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To 2026... but what about beyond?
The key part of the statement is that it's only ruled both drivers in for 2026, which could mean the door is open for change following that.
With no outlined contract details, it could mean that Mercedes will be looking on a year-to-year basis.
And that could entice a return to pursuing Verstappen.
The problem for Russell is that he is managed by Mercedes, so his future lies in his hands.
Wolff has repeated that Russell's contract extension is a "formality" and he's confident in their relationship.
But without consistency or a solid foundation for the future, this could make Russell anxious.
His performances at Mercedes speak for themselves. 2025 alone has been a relatively outstanding year for the driver as he secures wins and podium finishes despite the car not being as competitive as years past.
So it would truly be Mercedes loss if they did not lock Russell down for the near-future.
And if they don't and the Brit gets restless, he could look elsewhere - which could provide quite the stir in the Formula 1 paddock.
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