Toto Wolff believes that George Russell is entering his “best period” in F1. This is a significant statement since the British driver’s contract is set to expire, and it seems that negotiations for a renewal are already underway. And what about Verstappen? The shadow of the Dutchman continues to loom over his teammate.
After Lewis Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes was announced, Russell took on the role of team leader. Alongside him, the young promising Andrea Kimi Antonelli joined, who is already performing well but still has much to learn, even from his teammate.
In the five races held so far in 2025, Russell has secured three podiums, including a second-place finish in Bahrain. These results have placed him in fourth place in the drivers’ standings with 73 points, behind Max Verstappen and the two McLarens.
The Dutchman could represent the biggest threat to Russell’s continued stay at Mercedes. George Russell’s contract will expire at the end of the 2025 season, but a renewal is not guaranteed.
Toto Wolff has not kept quiet about the possibility of luring Verstappen from Red Bull to bring him to Brackley. If this move were to happen, it’s unlikely that Wolff would opt for a combination like Max Verstappen and Russell, which would leave the latter needing to find a new team.
“Russell is in his best period” Wolff, however, insists that he is satisfied with George Russell’s performance after the British driver had his best start to a season in F1. “The interesting thing is that Lewis has always been the most experienced and oldest driver here,” Wolff explained to The Athletic.
“With George, it was never like he was a rookie, but suddenly Lewis left, and George is in his prime, or at least at the start of his prime,” the Austrian explained. “He is clearly the most experienced driver in the team: he’s good, he’s performing, he says the right things, and he’s taken Lewis’ role.”
“At the moment, with George and Kimi, there’s no reason to question this line-up for the future. There’s no stress; he’s giving his best, just as we hoped and expected. He’s keeping his promises, no doubt about it, and you couldn’t ask for much more.”
Wolff’s words suggest that there are full intentions to renew Russell’s expiring contract. Will that be the case, or is Mercedes still waiting for signals from Verstappen before finalizing everything?
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