Russell associated with Red Bull and Aston for 2026.

      George Russell may have several excellent choices if Mercedes decides to part ways with him. While Toto Wolff is satisfied with the impressive performance of the 27-year-old, who ranks as the highest performing F1 driver this year after the McLaren duo and Max Verstappen, it seems clear that the Mercedes team principal is keeping an option open for Verstappen.

      Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes there’s a considerable possibility that Verstappen could leave Red Bull ahead of the major regulatory changes for 2026. Schumacher suggested that Verstappen’s behavior in Barcelona might have been a strategy to trigger a contract exit clause. However, he acknowledges: "If Max wants to leave, you can’t stop him. Red Bull is facing challenges currently and will likely continue to do so in the near future,” he told Sky Deutschland. “The multiple updates have not been effective thus far, so why would anyone expect Pierre Wache to suddenly create a remarkable car for the new regulations when he hasn’t even grasped the existing one properly?"

      An even more pressing concern is the new Red Bull-Ford power unit set for 2026. Dr. Helmut Marko from Red Bull asserts, “We’re on schedule with our engines for 2026, but it’s clear we don’t know exactly what our competitors are doing. There’s already speculation about who might have the advantage, but that will only become evident once they hit the track.”

      Rumors suggest that Mercedes may start with a considerable engine edge. "Max clearly wants a functioning car," Schumacher remarks. "This isn’t currently assured at Red Bull. Max has time to make his decision. He can wait until or even after the summer break."

      Schumacher believes it’s apparent that Wolff is still trying to attract Verstappen, particularly given his “diplomatic” remarks regarding the Verstappen-Russell incident in Barcelona. “I found Toto Wolff’s response very impressive,” Schumacher noted. “It was quite diplomatic. Typically, you would expect a team principal to defend their own driver, but Toto essentially said, ‘Let’s calmly assess what Max actually did.’ I found that very noteworthy. You almost get the sense that he and Max are already sitting together, discussing next year.”

      It seems highly improbable that Wolff would part ways with his young protégé Kimi Antonelli, just as the prospect of a Verstappen-Russell combination seems unlikely. Reports indicate that informal discussions between Russell’s management and Red Bull have already occurred, and The Times now suggests that Aston Martin could also be a viable option for the thriving British driver.