George Russell's commitment to Mercedes questioned by F1 legend as contract extension continues to get delayed

Former F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve has questioned George Russell's commitment to Mercedes, as the Brit is seemingly delaying signing an extension with the team. The contract extension saga began at the start of the season and is still seemingly continuing even though no resolution appears on the horizon.

The 2025 F1 season is the first time George Russell has been able to be a leader within Mercedes, and his performances have been admirable. He's been fast, he's cut down on errors, and he's ensured that he continues to get the best out of the car. While that is the case, his current contract ends in 2025, and the driver is expected to sign an extension with Mercedes.

That hasn't happened until now, and one of the catalysts for that was Toto Wolff's public pursuit of Max Verstappen. The Austrian has been trying to bring the Dutch driver onboard, and even though that didn't happen for 2026, there's always a possibility that Verstappen would be available for 2027.

That's where the logjam appears to be, as Mercedes is reportedly not willing to give George Russell a multi-year contract, and the British driver is not looking at a one-year extension.

As quoted by Grandprix247, Villeneuve has questioned the driver's commitment, as, according to him, Mercedes seems willing to commit to the driver. He said,

“George Russell is very good. Out of all the other drivers, he’s the one that’s always showing consistency in getting the result. He’s matured a lot. He doesn’t seem to be making the mistakes he used to make. This season he’s really maximising the points he can get with that team and that car."

He added,

“It sounds like Mercedes are committed to George, and now it’s him who doesn’t want to commit anymore. Because he was annoyed that he had to wait. The thing is, who else would Mercedes sign? There’s no one available. On the other hand, there’s no team available for Russell either. So, it’s a pointless battle right now,”

Kimi Antonelli more of a Mercedes protege than George Russell

Talking about the two Mercedes drivers who have made their way through the junior categories and reached the pinnacle, Villeneuve felt that Kimi Antonelli was more of a Toto Wolff protégé than Russell because he was younger. Talking about how the team would want both of the drivers to do well, Villeneuve said,

“George Russell and Kimi Antonelli are both Toto Wolff’s proteges. Antonelli seems to be more so than Russell, because he’s the newest project. You have to understand that Mercedes has invested a lot in those drivers from a young age. And when you’re really deep into an investment, it’s really hard to let go. You try to find ways to make sure that the investment becomes positive and profitable."

At this stage, with just 7 races left, Mercedes is yet to confirm who the two drivers are going to be for the 2026 F1 season. Neither Kimi Antonelli's nor George Russell's contract extension has been announced yet as the season comes to an end.