Max Verstappen to Mercedes rumours will only intensify after George Russell admission

George Russell has admitted there is still no news to share over a new Mercedes contract and that it is "unlikely" a deal will be struck before the Formula 1 summer break. It means no end soon to the long-running saga of speculation that the Brit could be replaced by Max Verstappen.

The Dutchman has a Red Bull contract until 2028, but the deal contains release clauses which could allow him to walk away with the team's performance in decline. He has been most strongly linked with Mercedes and team principal Toto Wolff is a known admirer of the four-time F1 champion.

To make room for Verstappen, Mercedes would have to let one of their current stars go. Teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli is also out of contract this year, but it has long been understood that Russell would be the most likely to make way in the event the Dutchman decided to quit Red Bull, despite a strong season to date.

Mercedes don't want to let Antonelli go as they see him as the next big superstar of the sport, so a new deal for Russell would all-but end any realistic chance of Verstappen joining Mercedes for the 2026 season. But the 27-year-old has admitted there has still been no movement on that front.

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Quizzed on his future ahead of this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, Russell said: "I think it's got to be right both ways. The intention was always pre-summer break, because people go into summer wanting to get something sorted.

"Realistically, is that going to be the case? I don't know. There is no contract on the table, so to have something done in the space of two weeks is unlikely."

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Russell is in the awkward position of also being managed personally by Mercedes. That, in theory, would make contract renewal talks a lot smoother, while Russell has on many occasions expressed publicly his desire to stay with Mercedes, and so it seems clear that the hold-up is because, for whatever reason, the team is stalling.

"It’s got to work both ways and you need to talk about the finer details," said Russell, attempting to play down the significance of the delay. "F1 is evolving so much now, you need to go through everything with a fine-tooth comb to make sure it's all okay.

"There is no rush, really, from my side, because ultimately, Toto and the team will decide what they wish to do. I will be in a position of reacting to what they wish to do. I’m just focusing on performance and everything else will sort itself out."

Meanwhile, Verstappen insists the departure of Christian Horner after 20 years in charge of Red Bull will have no bearing on his future plans. He said: "I don't think it will make any difference to my decision about the future. The only thing that matters is that we're working on the car and making it as fast as possible."