George Russell is one of six Formula 1 drivers facing an uncertain future on the grid as the Mercedes star is currently primed to see his contract expire after the 2025 season.
Both Mercedes drivers, in fact, are currently due to see their contracts end after the 2025 F1 season. The Silver Arrows last handed Russell new terms back in August 2023 and also only signed rookie sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli on a one-year deal to replace Lewis Hamilton.
Russell has achieved a career-best start to a Formula 1 campaign this year, though, to put his future at Mercedes under a spotlight. The 27-year-old has moved to 18 career podiums after securing third in Australia and China before returning to the rostrum with second in Bahrain.
Only McLaren driver Lando Norris has secured more podium finishes in the first four Grands Prix of the season having stood on every rostrum yet. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri has also taken three podium finishes so far in 2025 like Russell, who sits fourth in the F1 drivers’ standings.
George Russell should be ‘worried’ if Mercedes do not finalise his new contract before the British Grand Prix
His 63 points – just 14 fewer than championship-leader Norris has taken – have sparked new expectations that Russell is set to sign a new contract with Mercedes. The fresh terms would see him commit to staying in Brackley through 2027 and have an option to extend into 2028.
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| Position | Drivers’ Championship | Points |
| 1 |
Lando Norris |
77 |
| 2 |
Oscar Piastri |
74 |
| 3 |
Max Verstappen |
69 |
| 4 |
George Russell |
63 |
| 5 |
Charles Leclerc |
32 |
| 6 |
Andrea Kimi Antonelli |
30 |
Russell would also earn a pay rise by re-signing for Mercedes, with the fresh terms taking his wage to $30m (£23m) per season. But no pen has hit paper to tie the Briton down. So, while Karun Chandhok would not be ‘worried’ just yet if he were Russell, he may begin to be soon.
The ex-HRT driver feels Russell could begin to get ‘concerned’ about his future at Mercedes if they do not finalise his new contract before the British Grand Prix. F1 heads to Silverstone for its annual meet on July 4-6, before which F1 will stage seven other rounds of the season.
“I wouldn’t be concerned yet,” Chandhok told Sky Sports. “I think if it gets to the British Grand Prix in the first week of July and there’s still no deal, that’s a different conversation.
“I wouldn’t yet be worried if I was George because, at the end of the day, if you keep delivering and doing the job on track and being the team leader, they can’t ignore it.”
Mercedes risk a repeat of Lewis Hamilton’s exit if George Russell is left available for 2026
Russell has insisted, at least publicly, that he is not in a rush to agree to a new contract with Mercedes. He has also claimed that it took ‘no more than 24 hours’ to finalise the terms of his last extension with team principal Toto Wolff. But a threat of being replaced does linger.
Despite the speculation about their two-year contract offer, Ted Kravitz doubts Wolff would ‘think twice’ about replacing Russell if the Mercedes chief gests the chance to sign Red Bull star Max Verstappen. He also feels Wolff would axe Russell if he were leading the standings.
Yet as Chandhok notes, Russell’s form will make it hard for Mercedes to ignore his uncertain future for long. Wolff will likely also not want to be vulnerable to a repeat of Hamilton’s exit for Ferrari with Red Bull confirmed admirers of Russell and with one seat available for 2026.
