F1 Today | Russell puts the fear of God in Red Bull, Verstappen shuts down journalist

George Russell may be enjoying his strongest Formula 1 campaign to date with Mercedes, but his contract renewal remains unsigned and the Briton has added fuel to speculation by confirming that Mercedes are still in conversations with Max Verstappen.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Russell appeared calm about his future, citing confidence in his own performance and reiterating that he’s giving Mercedes no reason to doubt him. However, he acknowledged that having 'pen on paper' would offer extra clarity, and noted that Mercedes’ ambitions to return to the top naturally involve talks with top-tier talents like Verstappen.

Russell didn’t shy away from revealing that Toto Wolff has directly told him his current form is as good as “anybody,” adding that only Verstappen could be considered competition on that level.

While GPblog recently confirmed Verstappen won’t trigger his Red Bull exit clause, Russell’s comments suggest the door to Mercedes isn’t fully closed. With rising rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli also in the mix, Mercedes face a critical decision: who will fill their two seats in 2026 and beyond?

Max Verstappen was visibly frustrated during the Austrian Grand Prix press conference after once again being asked about his penalty points situation. The reigning world champion, currently sitting on 11 points, just one shy of a race ban, expressed disbelief at the recurring nature of the question, sarcastically asking, "You're joking, right? Is this a trap?"

Verstappen has remained firm in stating he won't change his driving style, despite the risk of a race ban. If he avoids trouble this weekend, two points from last year will expire, slightly easing the pressure.

The topic of penalty points dominated the rest of the press conference, with Pierre Gasly and Isack Hadjar weighing in. Gasly expressed concern over the current system, arguing that while drivers race hard and respect each other, the penalty structure may be too rigid. Verstappen, maintaining his stance, refused to elaborate further for fear of adding to his tally: "I'm not going to comment on that. I cannot risk getting a penalty point."

Verstappen in conversation with Dutch media then reaffirmed his stance on not replying to the international media's questions, also due to the FIA's rigid policies in terms of criticism toward the governing body.