George Russell’s deal with Mercedes ends Max Verstappen speculation – for now

“Confirming our driver line-up was always just a matter of when, not if,” Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff said in the statement announcing that George Russell and Kimi Antonelli would remain with the team in 2026.

However, for some time this season, there has been significant doubt about who will lead the former champions next season.

The specter of Max Verstappen has hung heavily over the Mercedes drivers for a fair part of this season – and Russell more so than Antonelli.

Wolff said during the Australian Grand Prix at the beginning of the season that a move for Verstappen was “not on any radar.”

But it was a statement that reflected Wolff’s acceptance that the odds of attracting Verstappen were relatively remote, and was intended to avoid disruptive questions.

It didn’t change the fact that Wolff was interested in Verstappen, and everyone in F1 knew it.

Wolff tried to get the Dutchman last year, before finally admitting defeat. They have been in talks again this season.

It was Russell who clearly explained what was happening, during the Austrian Grand Prix at the end of June.

“It is normal for talks to continue with the likes of Verstappen,” Russell said. “But for my part, if I perform like this, what do I have to worry about? There are two seats in every Formula 1 team.”

It was a reference to Russell’s emphatic victory in the previous race in Canada, and to the fact that the Briton was already at that stage not only having his best season in Formula 1, but comfortably outpacing his rookie team-mate.

Finally, during the Hungarian Grand Prix at the end of last July, Verstappen put the story to rest by saying that it was “time to stop all the rumours”.