Discussions regarding Russell's contract are delaying the 2026 plan.

      "Negotiating with Toto is quite challenging,"

      16 September 2025 - 09:56

      Reports suggest that Mercedes is delaying the announcement of its 2026 driver lineup due to George Russell's ongoing contract discussions. While it’s nearly assured that Russell will remain with the team alongside young talent Andrea Kimi Antonelli—especially after Toto Wolff couldn't secure Max Verstappen—the official news has not yet been released.

      Despite Antonelli's uneven performance in his rookie season, the primary issue is thought to revolve around Russell's contract. Former Mercedes champion Nico Rosberg, in a conversation with Sky, believes the contention involves salary, contract duration, and sponsor commitments.

      "It’s difficult to negotiate with Toto," recalled the 2016 world champion. "He tends to go silent when you try to negotiate different terms. I experienced a lot of frustration from it.

      "George is likely not satisfied with some aspects of the agreement," Rosberg speculated. "Even though he is a Mercedes junior, he earns significantly less than someone like Lando Norris. George views himself as Lando's equal. I also believe that, with the right car, he could win titles. Thus, he probably thinks it’s unfair that his salary doesn’t reflect his potential."

      Russell himself has pointed out that obligations to media and sponsors are a significant hurdle.

      "The team understands that a certain amount of time spent with a sponsor brings in a certain revenue, but no one can predict if an event will slow me down by a thousandth or a tenth," the 27-year-old Brit explained. "On Thursday morning, I have a sponsor event, another on Friday evening, and one more on Saturday evening, plus interviews throughout the weekend and partner activities on Sunday. All this talk doesn’t make me faster; it drains my energy.

      "I don’t get time to rest, train, or work in the simulator—all time that could be spent improving my speed."

      Rosberg concurs, stating that Mercedes expects more from its drivers in this area than many other teams do.

      "These teams have numerous sponsors who invest substantial funds," asserted the German. "Their only leverage is the size of the logos on the car, which is limited, thus they take up the drivers’ time," he noted. "They want their clients to have face time with George Russell. This can amount to 60 days out of the year, which is considerable, especially since some days are only half-days, making it closer to 80 days.

      "This was one reason why Lewis (Hamilton) opted to join Ferrari, as they don’t utilize their drivers for media days. Their established brand means they are not required to provide that driver time to their sponsors. I heard that for Vettel, it was just 10 days, and that was it.

      "It’s something that is heavily considered, particularly towards the end of a career."