Mercedes provide George Russell F1 contract update after Martin Brundle grilling

Mercedes say there is “no rush” to sort out George Russell’s F1 future.

The Briton, who has been one of the standout performers so far this season, is out of contract at the end of the year and currently does not have a drive for 2026 and beyond.

Despite Russell’s impressive form, Mercedes have yet to sign him to a new contract, though Toto Wolff has repeatedly stressed the team have no intention to change their driver line-up.

Mercedes continue to be linked with a blockbuster swoop for Max Verstappen, but Wolff said in Saudi Arabia that the four-time world champion was no longer on the Silver Arrows’ radar.

Mercedes team representative Bradley Lord was grilled about Russell’s contract situation during Sky Sports F1’s coverage of the Monaco Grand Prix, where Crash.net are on the ground.

Asked if the reason Russell has not been resigned is because Mercedes are waiting for Verstappen to potentially become available, Lord replied: “I thought you’d probably try and put me on the spot with something like that Martin!

“No, we are under no rush. We manage George’s career as well as being the team he drives for at the moment.”

Brundle interjected to point out “he’s not even got a drive for next year yet”.

To which, Lord continued: “But there’s no pressure. He’s fully focused on how do we perform this year and then how do we keep moving forwards.

“Then at the right time he and Toto will sit down and as they always say it doesn’t take terribly long to thrash these things out.

“That hasn’t happened yet but certainly will in the weeks and months ahead.”

George Russell has stepped up to team leader

Russell sits fourth in the championship on 99 points, 47 points behind leader Oscar Piastri.

The 27-year-old Brit has consistently extracted the maximum from his Mercedes and claimed four podiums from the opening seven races.

“He’s definitely stepped up into that leader role,” Lord said. “He’s like the big brother and Kimi is the little brother.

“I think that really suits George, that ability to give direction and be the reference for the team. That’s working well for him.

"He’s just delivered every time he’s been in the car. He’s maximising what we’ve got, scoring podium finishes where they are available and then working very hard with the designers back at the factory to understand ‘where can we improve the car, how do we need to take it forward to close that gap to the front runners’.”