P1racenews AI automatic summary:
George Russell is out of contract at Mercedes at the end of the current season, as the team chases Max Verstappen’s signature.
George Russell has acknowledged that Mercedes is supposedly attempting to recruit Max Verstappen as he awaits a new contract. Russell and teammate Kimi Antonelli’s contracts expire at the season’s end, with Toto Wolff considering the prospect of attracting Verstappen. Verstappen possesses a contractual break option to leave for 2026 if he ranks outside the top three in the driver standings by mid-season, currently leading Russell by 18 points in fourth place. Despite expectations, Russell maintains that strong performance should warrant a contract extension, having achieved five podiums, including a victory, in the first half of the season. While Mercedes pursues a deal with Verstappen to regain dominance, Russell stated that as long as he performs, he sees no reason for concern as each F1 team has two available seats.
