Russell stands out despite the ongoing tension surrounding the 2026 contract.

      "There’s no reason to be concerned"

      George Russell’s impressive pole position in Singapore occurred amidst ongoing uncertainty regarding his future with Mercedes. Italian journalist Leo Turrini mentioned to Sky Italia that Russell’s strong qualifying performance might have been encouraged by the current situation. "Not having a guaranteed position has propelled George towards a remarkable qualifying session," he stated. "His contract isn’t signed yet - he’s accomplished something extraordinary."

      Speculation about tense interactions between Russell and team principal Toto Wolff has been circulating, although Wolff assures that a deal is imminent. When questioned whether it was a matter of days, hours, or minutes, the Austrian smiled and replied, "Something along those lines."

      Russell himself mentioned he is simply taking his time. "For any driver, when you reach a certain stage in your career, it’s crucial to handle things properly," he clarified. "Every contract renewal is the most significant one of your career and needs to be approached with care.

      "There’s no reason to be concerned, and it will happen when it happens." When asked if he was being a tough negotiator, Russell laughed. "How many questions like this? You just keep going! No, I don’t believe so. It’s about finding something fair and mutually beneficial. Of course, it varies for different drivers who may have varying levels of influence. But as I mentioned, no new updates. Nothing to report. I’ll be happy to share once there is."

      While Russell’s contract negotiations continue, speculation around Kimi Antonelli’s potential seat at Mercedes for 2026 has subsided. Wolff now seems to be defending the young Italian rather than criticizing his performance. "All the other drivers have adapted to these cars, but it’s only his first year," he noted. "Next year, everyone will be starting over again, and I think he’s performing well."

      Regarding his earlier critical remarks, especially after Monza, Wolff acknowledged: "It motivated him." Antonelli agreed, stating to L’Equipe: "I needed a kick in the rear." He also admitted to making a mistake in Q3 in Singapore. "I felt good in Q1 and Q2 and was confident I could compete for pole. I wasn’t focused - I pushed beyond the car’s limits. I was more sideways than straight, which is unfortunate because the front row was within reach."

      On a different note, Yuki Tsunoda’s prospects for 2026 are still uncertain. Red Bull’s Dr. Helmut Marko commented in Singapore: "He needs to get closer to Max (Verstappen)," reiterating his usual feedback after recently commending the Japanese driver’s development. Tsunoda minimized any differences between his car and Verstappen’s. "The only update is to the front wing, so I don’t think that makes a significant difference," he remarked. "The areas where I struggled today were the very ones that should have improved, so I’ll see how things unfold from here."

      As for Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson, he is experiencing a tough weekend, crashing twice at a critical moment in contract negotiations. Furthermore, Franco Colapinto’s future at Alpine is also uncertain. New team principal Steve Nielsen stated that the rookie’s recent performance has improved, but decisions are still several weeks away. "Franco had a challenging start. I think we’ve seen that level out and stabilize a bit," he noted in Singapore. "He’s matched Pierre (Gasly) in the last two or three races, which is promising.

      "We don’t know where this trajectory will lead - we’ll make our choice regarding Franco and any other candidates when the time comes. However, we still have a few races before that."