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George Russell has weighed in on his Mercedes future amid links to Max Verstappen. The British driver detailed that his chances of not driving for the Brackley-based outfit are quite low.
The four-time Grand Prix winner has witnessed uncertainty cloud his immediate future amid talks of a possible exit of Verstappen from Red Bull Racing. Last time out at the Austrian Grand Prix event, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff opted against speaking about Russell’s future, and the act by the motorsports chief was further fuelled by reports from Sky Sports Italia claiming talks had taken place between the camps of Mercedes and Verstappen ahead of a potential switch for the 2026 season.
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However, Russell appears to be unfazed by these swirling rumours. During media day of the British Grand Prix, the 27-year-old assured his continuity at the Mercedes team.
“There’s a lot of conversations behind the scenes that are not public. I know where their loyalty lies, and it doesn’t need to be public, it doesn’t need to be broadcasted to everybody.
“...Of course, there’s lots of conversations, lots of rumours, and all of these are being pointed towards me, but from my side, I feel that isn’t really going to be the case. I want to continue with Mercedes into the future. For me, it’s nothing to worry about because I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere, and whoever my teammate will be, it doesn’t concern me either. I’m just focused on the driving.”
Max Verstappen continues to be heavily linked with the possibility of replacing Russell at Mercedes, and team principal Wolff has also not quelled these reports with his constant flirting with the idea of signing the four-time world champion from Red Bull. What becomes of Russell’s future at Mercedes remains something only time will reveal.
Max Verstappen speaks on links with the Mercedes team
Max Verstappen also weighed in on his Formula 1 future amid links with the Mercedes team. The world champion has found his name linked with several teams amid Red Bull Racing’s dip in form and ahead of the 2026 regulation changes.
The 28-year-old, whose future was one of the most talked-about topics leading into the British Grand Prix weekend, however, opted for a more tight-lipped response when quizzed about joining the Mercedes team. Sharing his thoughts during his interaction with the media, Verstappen said:
“To be honest with you, I have nothing else to add to what I said last week [in Austria] to many people. Anyway, I have a contract with the team, we just focus on performance, we want to improve — that’s where my worries lie, and that’s what we try to work on.”
Recent reports about Max Verstappen’s camp being in conversation with Toto Wolff and the Mercedes team had surfaced. The Red Bull driver, however, appears to have his sights set on the upcoming British Grand Prix race.
Verstappen, who endured a forgettable race weekend last time out at the Austrian Grand Prix, will be hoping for a statement performance as the Silverstone race weekend unfolds.
