George Russell has secured a Formula One contract extension with Mercedes, which formally announced on Wednesday he will be racing for the team next year alongside Kimi Antonelli.
Mercedes confirmed that Russell and Antonelli will race for the team in 2026 ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, having been linked with a swoop for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen earlier in the year.
In the announcement, Mercedes did not specify the length of the extension to Russell’s contract, only stating that he and Antonelli would “continue as the Mercedes driver line-up into 2026.”
But sources with knowledge of the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity, have indicated to The Athletic that Russell has signed a multi-year deal, securing his long-term future with Mercedes.
Five-time grand prix winner Russell, 27, has raced for Mercedes since 2022 and was part of its young driver roster from 2017, with the team supporting his progression through junior categories to reach F1 as well as serving as his management.
Russell’s existing F1 contract with Mercedes was due to expire at the end of this season, leaving him at the center of driver market speculation amid speculation the team could try to sign four-time world champion Verstappen if he were to leave Red Bull.
Russell always maintained he was relaxed about his future given the high level of his on-track performances this year. He won in Canada in June and, earlier this month, dominated en route to victory in Singapore for his second victory of the year, in addition to six further podiums.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said very early in the season that his priority was to continue with Russell and 19-year-old rookie Antonelli into 2026. In recent weeks, when facing recurring questions about the time it was taking for the contract to be finalized and the deal announced, both Russell and Mercedes said they were in no rush, and were focused on smaller details.
Wolff stated at the Dutch Grand Prix in August there was “not going to be any big news” around Mercedes’ line-up for next year, as both Russell and Antonelli would continue, but formal confirmation has arrived ahead of the Austin race weekend.
The announcement locks Russell and Antonelli in for the 2026 season when a major overhaul of the car design rules will offer Mercedes a chance to return to the top of the F1 pecking order.
“I am really proud to be continuing our journey together,” Russell said in a statement. “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.
“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.”
“Confirming our driver line-up was always just a matter of when, not if,” Wolff added. “We wanted to take our time, handle the negotiations properly and make sure everyone, on all sides, was happy.”
Where does this leave Russell and Mercedes?
The fact that Russell is staying with Mercedes for 2026 comes as zero surprise. He’s been performing at a very high level for a number of years now, outpacing seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton by the end of their three seasons together as teammates.
But in 2025, he’s hit another level, picking up big results in a year where the McLarens and Verstappen’s Red Bull have drawn much of the attention. Scoring two wins in what has on occasion been the fourth-fastest car this season is an impressive feat.
Russell’s scintillating form gave him confidence of keeping his Mercedes seat, even when he became aware of conversations taking place with Verstappen’s camp about the future at the start of the summer. As Wolff looked to the future, it was natural to want to understand where Verstappen was positioned in the driver market.
Speculation about a potential move was firmly ended when Verstappen publicly confirmed he’d remain with Red Bull for next year ahead of F1’s summer break in August.
A contract going beyond 2026 was always part of Russell’s discussions with Mercedes. Given the nature of Russell’s setup at Mercedes, where it also looks after his management, their deals have enjoyed a degree of fluidity. But to now clinch that multi-year extension still offers useful security.
Mercedes clearly sees Russell as being the spearhead for its future. Russell himself has never shown any sign of doubting that or fearing he could lose his seat, nor has he publicly placed too great an emphasis on the length of his contract, instead stressing a need to perform.
“I think in our sport, there’s almost so much hype when it comes to contracts,” Russell told The Athletic in an interview in April. “The fact is, if you have a contract and you don’t perform, the team finds a way of getting rid of you. Performance is our only currency.”
That does not mean the Verstappen links are likely to go away heading into 2026, especially if Mercedes were to steal a march on the field under the regulations with the fastest car and Red Bull were to struggle, prompting the Dutchman to seek alternative options. A driver of his caliber has to be a consideration if available.
But the new deal nevertheless gives stability to Russell, who, given the right car, is firm in his belief that he is now ready to fight for a first world championship.
More to come from Antonelli in year two
At 19 and in only his fourth full season of single-seater racing, Antonelli was going to face a tough learning curve through his rookie F1 season, especially in the spotlight with a leading team such as Mercedes.
The year has given Antonelli a full taste of life in F1, going from the highs of sprint race pole in Miami and his podium in Canada to the lows of a first-lap crash in Austria, taking out Verstappen, and a home race weekend at Monza where Wolff labelled his performance as “underwhelming.”
Mercedes was happy for Antonelli to have 2025 as a learning year, given it was not fighting for a championship or regular race wins. He’s shown plenty of flashes of the raw pace that has made him stand out from his days in go-karting, and recovered well from a midseason slump in performance where a change in the car’s rear suspension setup made it trickier for him to drive.
Going into 2026, the hope from Mercedes will be that Antonelli can build on that going into year two and match his undeniable speed with greater consistency.
“I’m super excited to be continuing with the team,” Antonelli said in the announcement. “I’ve learnt so much in my first season in F1, both in the good moments and the more challenging ones. Those have all made me stronger, not only as a driver but as a teammate too. I want to say thank you to Toto and everyone at Brackley and Brixworth for their continued support and faith in me.”
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