George Russell gives fresh Mercedes future update in ‘getting closer’ reveal

George Russell said he wanted to use the summer break to reset and not discuss his future, with he and the team “moving in the right direction” towards a new deal.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff stated before the gap between races that Russell will be staying as a Mercedes driver next season, though an official announcement over his future has yet to be made.

George Russell: New Mercedes deal ‘positively moving in the right direction’

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Both Russell and team-mate, Kimi Antonelli, are widely expected to remain as Mercedes’ driver line-up next season, with talks progressing over new contracts.

Russell denied the proposed length of a new contract is one of the factors having delayed an announcement, however, as he took time away from talks at his request over the summer break, wanting to make the most of the sport’s interlude.

He offered an update on what is next, with he and the team wanting to take their time over agreeing new terms.

“Naturally, we wanted to take the summer off to sort of relax and reset, but [we are] positively moving in the right direction,” Russell said in response to a question from PlanetF1.com over his future.

“But I think as there is no time pressure from the team’s side and no time pressure from our side, we’re just ensuring it’s done properly.

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“Of course, you are juggling priorities. It’s not like the world stops to sort a contract. We’ve got to worry about race weekends, we’re focusing on future development, already looking ahead to next year, sponsorship days, things sometimes do take longer than you would anticipate. But as I said, they’re positively going in the right direction.”

He added: “The summer break was a very good time for me to think about my whole situation, what I want from my future, not just on track, but everything that happens off track.

“There’s a lot more to our role than just driving the cars on a Sunday afternoon, and those conversations have really been picked up this week – not really through the break – because that was more my decision.

“I wanted to take the time off. Toto and the team were very willing to work through the summer break to come to a resolution, but I wanted just to take that time because those two weeks are pretty precious for all of us.

“I think we’re getting closer to being on the same page with a few things, and hopefully, realistically, we’re talking maybe [a] number of weeks before anything really happens, but there’s no major rush, and I don’t want to really put a timeline on it.

“When it will happen, it will happen. If that’s next week, a month, two months, three months, it will be what it will be.”

When asked if the duration of his next contract is delaying an announcement, Russell confirmed: “No, not at all, to be honest.

“I think there’s pros and cons into having short term [or] long term. I think for me, this season has proved more than ever, ultimately, it always comes down to performance.

“The number that is stated in the contract is ultimately just a number, but it’s obviously something I’m thinking about, what I want.

“The truth is I want to win with Mercedes, I want to win a World Championship, and that is my number one goal, and I hope that to be here with the team.

“But of course, I’m 28 next year, I’m still feeling pretty young, but at some point, I need to make sure everything is right and we’re all heading in the right direction. So as I said, I hope that can be here being with Mercedes.”

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