Rosberg hints at reason behind Mercedes’ delay with Russell

As the 2025 Formula 1 season nears the end of its first half, Mercedes has yet to extend the contract of George Russell, despite the Briton’s current run of form.

Russell, who has emerged as the team’s lead driver in 2025 following Lewis Hamilton’s departure, currently sits fourth in the Drivers’ Championship and recently claimed an impressive win in Canada.

Yet, with no contract confirmed beyond this season, questions are growing over Russell’s near-term future.

It’s a somewhat surprising state of affairs for both parties and one that 2016 F1 world champion Nico Rosberg has suggested might be due to the Brackley squad holding secret talks with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, potentially delaying a deal with Russell.

Rosberg: “Toto Wolff should actually sign him now”

“Red Bull is not stupid,” Rosberg told Sky Duetschland. “They paid Max a fortune and signed him for several years. I don’t think he can just run away.

“But you can’t force him to stay. If he wants to leave, you have to accept it at some point. On the other hand, there is also the George Russell situation at Mercedes.

“There is some delay in it, because Toto Wolff should actually sign him now. This is his number one driver, his performance this season is mega again.

“Maybe there are some talks in the background with the Verstappen side.”

While Verstappen has consistently downplayed speculation linking him to a move away from Red Bull, it is believed he has an exit clause that could be triggered around the summer break – adding weight to Rosberg’s theory.

Wolff: “We’re going to get there”

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, however, played down the notion that Russell’s performances are influencing the timeline for contract talks, saying the team has already mapped out its plan to finalize a deal.

“He's been so long with us and he's growing – the steps he's made from that young driver in Williams, then coming to Mercedes at a difficult time, being on par with Lewis [Hamilton], and then since Lewis left being clearly the senior driver in the team, and it comes natural,” Wolff said.

“It's not like there's some politics. He's just taken the place that he merits and deserves. The ambience in the team is great, and we've agreed on some kind of timeline when we want to settle these things.

“With triple headers getting out of the way in one race after the other now in June and July… but we're going to get there.

‘He's been a Mercedes junior in the same way that Kimi was since he was 16, so it isn't dependent on whether he wins a race, whether he performs, because we know he can.”

Despite the reassurances, the longer Russell’s future remains unresolved, the more intense speculation is likely to become – especially if Verstappen’s situation at Red Bull continues to shift.

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