George, fresh off his win in Montreal, knows he has the team in his hands and wants to remain with Mercedes: “Those who have shown interest in me know that I’m only talking to the German team. I’m loyal to them.”
After the first ten races of the season, George Russell holds fourth place in the overall standings, nineteen points behind Max Verstappen. His first win of the year, achieved in Montreal, had been preceded by one second place and three third-place finishes. These are strong numbers for Russell, which clearly place him at the top levels of Formula 1. Interestingly, George is currently the only top driver without a contract secured for next season, and in that context, the high level of performance he’s consistently delivering can only help in negotiations.
“I agree,” Russell admitted with a smile, “it certainly doesn’t hurt! As I’ve said many times, I’m not at all worried about next year, don’t worry, I’ll be on the starting grid.” At twenty-seven, with six full Formula 1 seasons under his belt, George is now a key figure. Mercedes had already realized this by mid-2023; the internal comparison with Hamilton served to place Russell on the team’s value scale, and when Lewis informed the team he would be leaving, Toto Wolff had no doubts: George would become the team’s reference point.
“I’m not talking to anyone else,” George Russell emphasized. “I’ve been clear with the teams that showed interest in me: my intention is to stay with Mercedes. I’m loyal to this team — they gave me the chance to enter Formula 1, and I can say I’ve had no issues with the team’s negotiations with Max. I’ve said it many times — all teams should be interested in Max. If any team on the grid today had a free seat, well, Max would be the number one choice — that’s understandable.” – he pointed out during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend.
“For my part, I knew that if I continued performing the way I have been, my position wouldn’t be threatened in any way. So I feel good — we’re not in a rush to negotiate the renewal, we want to win together. Kimi and I are working well together — the weekend result proves it. We both arrived at Mercedes as junior drivers, and we’re both doing the job that’s expected of us. There’s no reason to change something that works.”
The first races of the current season have confirmed that Mercedes made the right choice for the post-Hamilton era, with Russell performing even better than the already high expectations set before the championship began. “I feel like I’m driving better than I ever have,” he explained. “I’m ready to fight for the world championship, and I believe that results like those in Montreal, or the ones from the Bahrain weekend, prove that we’ve been ready to seize any small opportunity as soon as it appears.”
George knows he’s hit the mark. Without Hamilton’s imposing presence beside him, he’s taken the team in hand. “I’m pretty relaxed,” he admitted with a smile. “I’m enjoying the moment, enjoying the win, and taking the races one week at a time.” During the Montreal weekend, his pole position was even more impressive than the victory — a perfectly timed shot that hit the target dead center.
And right after securing pole, a significant detail emerged about the self-confidence Russell has now achieved, shown in his provocation toward Verstappen: “How will it go at Turn 1 after the start? Let’s say I’ve got a few extra points on my license to play with.” Russell knows that reaching the highest goals will involve a battle with Max, and even on that front, he feels ready — no fear, no hesitation.
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