George Russell acknowledges Mercedes’ interest in Max Verstappen as contract talks remain on hold. George Russell confirms there have been no real talks with Mercedes about a contract extension yet.

A couple of months ago, the Italian media reported on Toto Wolff’s dilemma, torn between confirming the excellent George Russell and chasing the dream of signing Max Verstappen. It was April at the time, and rumors were circulating about the imminent renewal of the British driver’s contract with Mercedes, following a strong start to the season. Now it’s mid-June, and the contract extension between George Russell and the Silver Arrows still hasn’t happened. So, what’s going on?

In recent weeks, Toto Wolff had stated that the topic would be addressed in the summer (coincidentally, the same timeframe tied to Max Verstappen’s rumored contract clause), and during the Montreal weekend, George Russell also confirmed that there is currently no ongoing discussion regarding a contract extension.

“There hasn’t been any real conversation, to be honest, because right now we have more important problems—namely making our car faster,” George Russell said, adding: “I know I’ll be in Formula 1 next year. My intention and goal is to stay with Mercedes, and I believe that’s Toto’s intention as well.”

Without any prompting from journalists, George Russell also brought up Max Verstappen in his response: “What’s happening is understandable—drivers like Max have always been on the radar, and why shouldn’t they be now? We’re talking about one of the greatest ever, and I get that. It’s up to me to prove my worth, and I feel I’ve done that time and again over my seven years in Formula 1 and throughout my career. I have no worries.”