It would be "understandable" if Wolff signs Verstappen, according to Russell.
"Rumours are seldom reliable, are they?"
George Russell has stated that it would be "completely understandable" if Mercedes pursued Max Verstappen for the 2026 season. Speculation regarding Verstappen’s future is escalating in the Jeddah paddock, with hints that Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is behind a three-year, $300 million proposal to sign the four-time world champion. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is also interested but is maintaining a low profile to support his current drivers, Russell and newcomer Kimi Antonelli.
At 27, Russell's contract is set to expire at the end of the year, but he is currently performing at an all-time high. While it seems unlikely that Antonelli would be dismissed, the idea of a Russell-Verstappen duo also appears improbable. "I don’t think so," stated Vowles, the Williams team principal, who remains close to Wolff, when asked if he could envision the two drivers on the same team. "They have very different personalities."
On the other hand, Russell appears more receptive to the prospect—or at least realistic about Verstappen's potential availability. "Why wouldn’t they want to sign Max?" the British driver remarked. "That’s completely understandable. He’s the best driver right now. He’s a four-time world champion. That doesn’t diminish my abilities or Kimi’s. Each team has two drivers, and Verstappen is just one individual."
If Russell seems at ease, it may be due to recent reports suggesting that Wolff was likely to propose a lucrative two-year extension for him after leaving Bahrain. "Rumours are seldom very reliable, are they?" he chuckled in Jeddah. "Some are probably closer to the truth, but ultimately, we never discuss contracts until May or June of a season."
Russell also highlighted that, as Verstappen’s current circumstances illustrate, contracts in Formula 1 often hold little value beyond the expenses associated with drafting them. "When it comes to contracts, there's a lot of excitement, but the reality is that drivers have contracts and if they don’t deliver, they get replaced. Performance is our currency as drivers; that’s what we possess." He added, "I’m not concerned because my performance speaks for itself. At the moment, I’m competing as well as anyone else on the grid."
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