18/06/2025 09:15
George Russell has questioned why Mercedes would want to alter its
driver line-up next season, despite the continual threat of Max
Verstappen lurking in the background. Four-time F1 champion
Verstappen has been consistently linked with a move to Mercedes
since Lewis Hamilton announced early last year he would be leaving
the Brackley-based squad at the end of the season and joining
Mercedes. Although team principal Toto Wolff opted to promote
rising star Kimi Antonelli from Mercedes' junior programme, the
fact that the 18-year-old and Russell are out of contract at the
end of this season means Verstappen continues to be linked. For his
part, Russell feels he can do no more this season to earn a new
deal, with his victory in Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix the fourth
of his F1 career, adding to the four in his first six races that
have kept him on the fringes of the drivers' title right. Russell
naturally appreciates why rumours about Verstappen joining persist,
but believes he and Antonelli are starting to form a strong
alliance that will only benefit Mercedes for the short-, mid- and
long term. Adamant he is "not talking with anybody else", speaking
to the media, including RacingNews365 , Russell said: "Any teams
who have shown interest, I have been quite open to say I intend to
stay with Mercedes. That's always been clear. I am loyal to
Mercedes. "They gave me this chance to get into Formula 1. There
haven't been any hard feelings with any of the talks that have been
going around, especially around Max. "Because, like I've said
numerous times, why wouldn't teams be interested in Max? If every
driver had no contracts for next year, Max would be number one for
every single team. And that's understandable. "But ultimately,
there are two seats for every race team. I knew if I continued to
perform as I'm doing, my position would not be under threat
whatsoever. So I feel in a good place. "We're in no rush to do
contract negotiations. We want to win together. Especially with
Kimi and I being team-mates now. We're getting a result [like in
Canada], both junior drivers from Mercedes, we're both doing the
job in terms of performance. "Why would you want to change
something that's working?" Russell 'pretty relaxed' over F1 future
In terms of Sunday's victory in the Canadian Grand Prix, Russell
conceded that "it doesn't hurt at all" his chances of a new deal.
After securing a stellar pole position on Saturday, beating
Verstappen by 0.060s, Mercedes overcame the warm conditions that
ordinarily have proven such a problem in the past for its cars to
steer Russell to the chequered flag. Extolling his virtues, what he
has achieved this season and why Mercedes should not consider
outside options for his seat, Russell said: "As I've said many
times, I'm not concerned at all about next year. I know I'm going
to be on the grid next year. "I feel that I'm driving better than
ever. I still feel I've got more in the tank. I feel ready to fight
for a world championship, and I think results like this, results
like Bahrain this year, when we get half a chance of a good result,
we're there to take it. "And I'm pretty relaxed. Just enjoying the
moment, enjoying my racing, and just taking it week by week."
