Official: Mercedes F1 announces Russell and Antonelli for 2026.

      Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team is pleased to announce that George Russell and Kimi Antonelli will maintain their driver line-up through 2026. The 27-year-old Russell enters his eighth season in Formula 1, while 19-year-old Antonelli is set for his second year.

      Both drivers are products of the team’s junior program, having joined in 2017 and 2019, respectively. George won the GP3 and Formula 2 championships prior to his F1 career, and after spending three years at Williams, he has claimed five victories since joining the Mercedes works team. Kimi, on the other hand, has several Formula 4 titles and the Formula Regional championship under his belt, along with race wins in Formula 2 before making his F1 debut this season. He has since become the third youngest driver to finish on the podium in the sport's history and leads a notably strong group of rookies.

      Toto Wolff, CEO and Team Principal of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, remarked: "It was always a question of when, not if, we would confirm our driver line-up. We took the necessary time to conduct negotiations properly and ensure that all parties were satisfied. I'm glad that we've accomplished this. George and Kimi have shown to be a strong combination, and we look forward to continuing this journey together. Our attention now turns to the final six races of the year as we strive for second in the Constructors' Championship, along with looking ahead to 2026 and a new era in F1."

      George Russell expressed: "I’m very proud to continue our journey together. Next year will mark my tenth year since signing with Mercedes in 2017. It has been a long and fruitful partnership with the team, and I’m eager to see what the future holds, especially as we prepare for one of the most significant regulation changes in F1 history next year. We are all highly focused on making it a success and personally, I aim to build on what has been my strongest season in F1 thus far."

      Kimi Antonelli stated: "I’m incredibly excited to continue with the team. I’ve gained so much knowledge during my first F1 season, through both the positive and challenging moments, which have helped me grow as a driver and a teammate. I want to thank Toto and everyone in Brackley and Brixworth for their ongoing support and trust in me.

      "Our goal now is to finish the year strong and secure second in the Constructors' Championship before fully focusing on 2026. There is still a lot we can achieve in these last six races, and we will give it our all."