Russell: No Rush, No Worries Over Mercedes Deal

Russell Unbothered as Mercedes Delays Contract Talks

15/03/2025

With his contract expiring soon, George Russell remains unfazed, prioritizing Mercedes’ performance over securing his F1 future early.

George Russell isn’t losing sleep over his contract situation, even as Mercedes F1 postpones decisions on its driver lineup until later in the season.

In Melbourne, team principal Toto Wolff reassured him that Mercedes remains committed to its current duo and isn’t looking elsewhere—despite ongoing rumors about Max Verstappen.

However, Wolff also made it clear that discussions about contract extensions would have to wait.

Russell’s deal expires at the end of this season, just like Kimi Antonelli’s, who was confirmed for only a one-year stint despite having a long-term partnership with Mercedes.

But the Briton, now in his fourth season with the Silver Arrows, isn’t concerned about waiting, even as other drivers secure multi-year agreements.

“No Rush—If You Perform, Teams Will Want You”

“If you perform well, teams will want you. It’s not like I need to rush into signing a contract because the team doesn’t want me anymore,” Russell said confidently.

“Extending my deal will be easy. There’s no urgency. We’re taking our time and seeing how the season unfolds.”

He also pointed out that contract talks go beyond just locking in a seat for the coming years—they tie into the team’s long-term vision.

“We also need to consider how the car will evolve leading up to 2026. At some point, we’ll transition from the W16 to the new generation. The regulation changes are massive, not just for 2026 but for the years beyond.”

“This isn’t just about signing a deal and moving on. We’re potentially talking about the next three, four, or even five years of our careers.”

“Right Now, The Focus Is on Winning”

“When the time is right, we’ll go through everything,” he assured.

“But for now, that’s not the priority. The focus is on bringing Mercedes back to the top. If it doesn’t happen this year, then we’ll push for it next season.”

Russell: No Rush – No Worries Over Mercedes Deal Russell: No Rush – No Worries Over Mercedes Deal

F1 CALENDAR 2025
Race
Date
Australian Flag
Australian
Albert Park
16 Mar
Chinese Flag
Chinese
Shanghai International
23 Mar
Japanese Flag
Japanese
Suzuka Circuit
6 Apr
Bahrain Flag
Bahrain
Sakhir desert
13 Apr
Saudi Arabia Flag
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street
20 Apr

2025 Australian Grand Prix Grid

Lando Norris
1
LANDO
NORRIS
1:15.096
Oscar Piastri
2
OSCAR
PIASTRI
1:15.180
Max Verstappen
3
MAX
VERSTAPPEN
1:15.481
George Russell
4
GEORGE
RUSSELL
1:15.546
Yuki Tsunoda
5
YUKI
TSUNODA
1:15.670
Alex Albon
6
ALEX
ALBON
1:15.737
Charles Leclerc
7
CHARLES
LECLERC
1:15.755
Lewis Hamilton
8
LEWIS
HAMILTON
1:15.973
Pierre Gasly
9
PIERRE
GASLY
1:15.980
Carlos Sainz
10
CARLOS
SAINZ
1:16.062
Isack Hadjar
11
ISACK
HADJAR
1:16.175
Fernando Alonso
12
FERNANDO
ALONSO
1:16.453
Lance Stroll
13
LANCE
STROLL
1:16.483
Jack Doohan
14
JACK
DOOHAN
1:16.863
Gabriel Bortoleto
15
GABRIEL
BORTOLETO
1:17.520
Kimi Antonelli
16
KIMI
ANTONELLI
1:16.525
Nico Hulkenberg
17
NICO
HULKENBERG
1:16.579
Liam Lawson
18
LIAM
LAWSON
1:17.094
Esteban Ocon
19
ESTEBAN
OCON
1:17.147
Oliver Bearman
20
OLIVER
BEARMAN
000
Race Center
Australia Flag
Australian GP
13 Mar - 16 Mar
FP1
14 MAR 01:30
FP2
14 MAR 05:00
FP3
15 MAR 01:30
QU
15 MAR 05:00
RACE
16 MAR 04:00
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