George Russell set for Mercedes extension as Toto Wolff reveals “open secret” talks

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has confirmed to Motorsport.com that securing George Russell’s future with the team is a priority, describing his commitment to the driver as “almost an open secret.”

The Brackley outfit intends to maintain their relationship with Russell after a strong start to the 2025 Formula 1 season, despite rumours of discussions with Max Verstappen over him joining the team.

Russell has certainly established himself as a cornerstone of Mercedes’ future after joining in 2022 alongside Lewis Hamilton. This year he’s stepped into the role of team leader alongside the young Kimi Antonelli, where he’s started the year with a promising show of performance. Securing back-to-back podium finishes, he sits third in the drivers’ standings behind Lando Norris and Verstappen.

Last weekend, the Briton enjoyed “probably one of my best weekends in F1 in terms of the overall performance,” qualifying second behind Oscar Piastri and finishing P3. This consistency has further confirmed Wolff’s feelings on the driver.

Asked by Motorsport.com about Russell’s contract – running out at the end of 2025 – the Austrian chief confirmed that they are closing in on an agreement.

“Yes, absolutely,” he said. “I mean, it is almost an open secret that we have every intention to keep our drivers for the long term. We are not disclosing every discussion that we have with the drivers and that is why this is going in the direction that it should go.

“But there is more to any contract than just giving a driver the fixed guarantee that he is going to be in the car. There are terms to it that you need to discuss for the best interest of the team and the driver, so it is a structured process.”

Read our in-depth interview with Toto Wolff by clicking here.

Speculation surrounding Max Verstappen looking to leave Red Bull for the greener grass of Mercedes has increased since the season start after poor results from the Milton Keynes team. This was further fuelled by comments from Helmut Marko, after he revealed that the Dutchman was “not happy” after the outfit decided to drop Liam Lawson after just two Grands Prix for Yuki Tsunoda.

Reported performance clauses in his contract with Red Bull allows the driver to seek other options before his contract comes to an end in 2028, and with Mercedes tipped to have a potent powertrain for the 2026 regulation change, rumours are rife. But after Wolff’s recent comments, these rumours seem less and less valid.

While a contract is yet to be signed by Russell, we can assume he will stay with the team for the time being. And with Wolff wanting to use this year to develop Antonelli so he can hit the ground running in 2026, there’s obviously confidence in both of his drivers.