Oct.18 (GMM) Toto Wolff has admitted that Mercedes and George Russell could part ways at the end of 2026, despite the Briton signing what is apparently a new multi-year contract.
The announcement ended months of speculation surrounding Mercedes’ hesitation to renew Russell’s deal – a delay widely seen as the team’s effort to keep its options open for Max Verstappen from 2027.
Russell, currently in strong form and widely praised for his leadership within the team, is believed to have secured a significant pay rise to around EUR 35 million, though insiders say the contract contains multiple exit clauses.
“I think the contract figures are lower than you think,” Russell smiled. “I think everyone thinks they’re worth more than they actually are. But Toto was very generous.”
It is understood Wolff eventually agreed to the higher salary to secure Russell’s signature while maintaining flexibility through the 2026 exit provision.
“I think we need stability, and extending a contract for a year is never good for anyone,” Wolff told reporters.
“But without going into detail, there are certain clauses that relate to this, but we want the driver, as well as the team, to feel that this is how we are moving forward, that we are very happy with this lineup, that we have a great balance.”
Still, not all observers agree with Mercedes’ long-term direction. Many insiders believe Wolff should be targeting a George Russell-Max Verstappen pairing for 2027 rather than Verstappen alongside Kimi Antonelli.
When asked about the idea of Russell sharing a garage with Verstappen, Wolff replied: “It’s certainly good fun for everyone. But we don’t want to create any rumours. Kimi and George are the ones we want to work with in the future. They’re a good lineup.”
Even so, speculation linking Verstappen to Brackley refuses to fade. Just hours after Russell’s contract was announced, Wolff again faced questions about it.
“Here we go already – October!” he laughed.
“I think being open and transparent is the best path forward. Sometimes it bites you a bit. And when you look back, maybe certain events could have been better – coincidences that happened. But I’ve always done it in the most straightforward and fair way.
“I stand by the driver choices – by George and Kimi. Like I said, this is the full focus, and that was always the aim, throughout the more tricky part over the summer.”
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