Russell: In due course we will make a statement.
At Zandvoort, George Russell said that he is discussing a 2026 contract with Mercedes, but the need to iron out some details is delaying its signing...
George Russell: "At the moment we are negotiating; it's going very positively, but we haven't signed anything yet and we're not rushing it. Nothing happened over the summer because neither side had any reason to hurry. We wanted to enjoy a short break.
In due course we will make an announcement, but as I said before the break, we need to make sure everything is done correctly. There are no time constraints on my side, nor on the team's, so the negotiations may take longer than usual, but you shouldn't read any hidden meaning into that.
It's just important right now to give attention to all areas — on-track performance, development of the 2026 car, sponsor events, physical recovery, and, of course, signing the contract.
Expectations of Mercedes in 2026? I don't think one of the factory teams will gain an advantage thanks to a more efficient power unit, as happened in 2014. Factory teams always have a slightly better relationship with the engines, but largely a car's performance depends on aerodynamics and tyres, and we've seen huge progress from McLaren in that area. It's unlikely that the fact they are a customer team will seriously change anything."
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Russell: In due course we will make a statement.
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