"He deserves better": F1 fans livid as Mercedes gives George Russell a short one-year contract

F1 fans were furious after the Mercedes F1 team announced that George Russell had signed a short contract to drive for the team in 2026. The Silver Arrows have officially announced that both Russell and Kimi Antonelli will drive for the outfit next year in a statement on Friday.

Russell's contract extension at Mercedes has dragged on for months, with numerous reports suggesting that the two parties were in dispute over the length of the Briton's contract. Seemingly, Russell wanted a long-term commitment from his team, but Toto Wolff was only ever interested in offering the 27-year-old a 1+1 contract.

Now, it seems that Wolff has gotten his way, as Mercedes has announced that George Russell will drive for them in 2026, rather than him being signed on a multi-year deal.

George Russell's fans were furious with this update, as they believed that the driver had done enough in his time at Mercedes to warrant a longer contract.

"Russell beat all his teammates and all he got is one year deal? Jokes on you Mr. Mercedes, he deserves better," said one fan.

Screen grab of comment under F1's Instagram post [Instagram/@f1]

"Russell only one year? It's a joke," said another user.

"Justice for George tbh," commented another fan.

Many fans also took to X to share their reaction to the news:

"Making the 2nd best driver on the grid sign a 1+1 is crazy business," said another fan.

"Welcome Max Verstappen in 2027," joked another user.

"Only one year of contract each? Toto desperately wants Max on the team lol," said yet another fan.

With this announcement, it looked as though Toto Wolff had left the door open for Max Verstappen, in case the Dutchman wishes to make the move to Brackley in 2027. The 4x world champion has committed to Red Bull only in the short term at the moment, with his motives beyond 2026 still unknown.

George Russell "proud" after signing contract extension at Mercedes

George Russell at the Singapore Grand Prix - Source: Getty

George Russell has shared that he was "really proud" to continue his journey with Mercedes, in a statement released by the German team on Friday. The 5-time F1 race winner has also claimed that he couldn't wait to see what lies ahead for him as he enters his 10th year within the Mercedes setup.

"I am really proud to be continuing our journey together. Next year will mark my 10th since I signed with Mercedes back in 2017. It has been such a long and successful partnership with the team so far and I can’t wait to see what lies ahead, particularly as we embark on one of the largest regulation changes in the sport’s history next year," said Russell, via Mercedes press release.

"We are all incredibly focused on making that a success and, for me personally, building on what has been my strongest season in F1 to date," he added.

His teammate, Kimi Antonelli, has also signed a similar extension, confirming that he will race for the team in 2026. The Italian teenager also expressed that he was "super excited" to be continuing with the team beyond his rookie season.

About the author

Samyak Sharma is a Motorsports journalist at Sportskeeda, covering Formula One and IndyCar. A graduate in Mass Media and Journalism, he aims to transform his lifelong passion for playing and following sports into a thriving career in sports journalism. He believes that sports naturally deliver the most compelling stories, needing no script to captivate the world.

Samyak is dedicated to providing detailed and insightful coverage, keeping an eye on all developments on and off the track to ensure timely and accurate reporting. He closely follows Max Verstappen, inspired by the Dutchman's ability to balance precision and aggression on the track.

Samyak envisions the continued growth of motorsports globally and hopes to see Formula One return to the V8 engines while still continuing to be sustainable. As for IndyCar, he envisions greater international exposure to rival the global reach of F1.

Outside the world of motorsports, Samyak immerses himself in his love for football and cricket, passionately cheering for his favorite team, Manchester United. He also enjoys catching the occasional tennis match, broadening his appreciation for sports.

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Edited by Hitesh Nigam