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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has weighed in on the contract situation of both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. The 53-year-old ruled out any major surprises regarding the future of both drivers as the Formula 1 season commences its second half of the 2025 campaign.
Conversations surrounding the immediate future of both Mercedes drivers have largely dominated the headlines, especially with the Brackley-based outfit being linked to Red Bull Racing star Max Verstappen. Swirling rumours have particularly suggested that Wolff’s interest in the Dutch driver could spell the end of George Russell’s stint at the team.
However, the Austrian motorsports executive was quick to quell these rumours in his recent interaction with the media. Sharing his thoughts via Dutch outlet ORF, Wolff stated:
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"It's not just about the team making a decision. The drivers also need to know where they stand. We've always tried to adhere to this rule. And we'll do so again this time."
"The direction is that we want to continue with George and Kimi. That's our top priority. Discussions are ongoing, everyone is informed. There will be no big surprises."
So far, both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli's contracts are set to run out following the conclusion of the 2025 season. Reports of the Mercedes team offering extensions to both drivers have largely been quiet. However, with Wolff’s recent remarks, talks of a possible contract extension could well be underway.
George Russell speaks on his Mercedes contract
Earlier during the British Grand Prix weekend, George Russell spoke about his contract situation with Mercedes. The 27-year-old largely downplayed the talks of uncertainty clouding his future, detailing that he is primarily focused on driving.
Sharing his thoughts during his interaction with the media, as quoted by Formula 1’s official website, he stated:
“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 broadcast to everybody.
“We’ve obviously spoken a little bit more over the past week because there are numerous news articles and whatnot out there, but in all honesty, it doesn’t really change anything from my side because, as I’ve said before, I feel I’m performing better than ever, and it’s as simple as that really. Performance speaks for everything.”
So far, the 2025 campaign has unravelled in a relatively impressive manner for George Russell. The former Williams Racing driver has racked up a race victory and a pole position start during the campaign. However, questions still linger over his long-term future at the Brackley-based outfit. Whether he signs a new deal with Mercedes remains one of the key storylines to watch in the second half of the season.
