F1 | Mercedes: George Russell’s contract renewal continues to be delayed – here are the crucial reasons. Despite certainty that George Russell will stay with Mercedes, his contract renewal remains pending.

Although the 2026 driver market is already defined and George Russell is confirmed to remain at Mercedes, the contract renewal between the parties has still not been finalized. Here are the real reasons behind the delay in signing the talented British driver with the team led by Toto Wolff.

For Mercedes, the 2026 season will be an “all in” effort. After four years spent in a relatively secondary role, the Brackley team has placed all its bets on the new technical cycle to reclaim the dominance it enjoyed for eight seasons, from 2014 to 2021. Paddock rumors suggest that the Mercedes power unit will be the one to beat, and James Allison’s technical staff have already shifted focus from the 2025 project to dedicate themselves fully to the car that must relaunch the team next year.

Despite such a promising scenario, there is an anomaly. The team that, on paper, will be among the favorites—or perhaps even the outright favorite—next season has reached the end of September without announcing the renewal of its lead driver. Mercedes have been quick to downplay the issue, stating: “George Russell will, of course, be with us at the start of the next championship. The delays in finalizing the deal concern the days each driver must dedicate to public relations.” Usually, the higher a driver’s status, the fewer commitments to sponsors and partners they are required to make.

Yet several weeks have passed since the originally planned announcement (prior to the Monza weekend), and there has been no news. As Toto Wolff and his closest collaborators continue to affirm, there is no doubt that the Mercedes-Russell pairing will start the next championship. However, it is also clear that there are critical issues beyond the number of PR days. At least two other aspects—both crucial—are likely behind the postponed signing.

The first factor: salary

Russell’s performance over the past two seasons has undoubtedly been at top-driver level, so it is unsurprising that George wants his compensation to reflect this status. The second factor concerns the duration of the contract. Here, paddock rumors from the Baku weekend remain unclear. Typically, a renewal of this magnitude would be for two seasons, tying Russell and Mercedes until the end of the 2027 season. However, there are whispers that the agreement could be structured as “1+1,” with an option to extend at the end of the next season. The question remains as to who—Mercedes or Russell—is pushing for this arrangement.

Strategic considerations and market opportunities

Mercedes may want to secure a free seat in case Max Verstappen decides to leave Red Bull at the end of the next season. This is not surprising, as the “flirtation” between the two parties has had several episodes, the most recent last spring. On the other hand, Russell himself might be interested in a shorter-term agreement. Mercedes will enter the new technical cycle with all the resources to return to the top, but competitiveness must still be proven on track.

In the past four seasons, since joining Mercedes, George Russell has never had a championship-caliber car. From his perspective, he might also want to assess mid-next year which opportunities exist in a market that will be highly significant. Time passes for George as well, and now that his status has grown considerably, he could have alternative options if results in 2026 fail to meet expectations. Mercedes often emphasize that Russell (and all drivers coming from the junior program) are bound to the team through a management contract, a reciprocal arrangement linked to the investment made in supporting young drivers’ careers in lower formulas.

So far, no junior driver promoted to the Mercedes senior team has ever left voluntarily. Conversely, the Brackley management’s challenge has been finding alternatives for drivers exiting the official team, such as in the case of Valtteri Bottas. However, if in a year’s time Russell decides to leave the team, it would create an unprecedented scenario. A management contract is not legally binding to remain with the team, and Mercedes could not prevent George from accepting a more advantageous offer. Ironically, in such a situation, the role of Mercedes management would shift to negotiating the best possible terms for their client with a team that, on track, would be a direct competitor.