Mercedes eyes Verstappen: Russell’s surprising reaction

09:02, 24 Jul

Updated: 10:02, 24 Jul

bySandy van Wijngaarden

George Russell has said that information on his future in F1 "doesn't need to be public" as he "knows where loyalties lie" amid continued rumours.

Both Russell and teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli don't have a contract for 2026. Although Toto Wolff recently stated that his focus is on the current driver duo, it's clear that the Mercedes team boss is still intrigued with Max Verstappen and his future.

If Verstappen should move to Mercedes, then Russell's time at Mercedes may be over, with the 18-year-old Antonelli seen as a great talent within Mercedes and won't be shown the door.

Despite these rumours, Russell defended his team during the British Grand Prix, with the Brit mainly focused on the fact that not all information is known to the public.

George Russell currently sits P4 in the drivers' championship, with his 147 points boosted by a Canadian Grand Prix victory.

Russell doesn't worry about external noise

"There's a lot of conversations behind the scenes that are not public," began Russell. "I know where their loyalty lies. It doesn’t need to be public. It doesn’t need to be broadcast to everybody.

"We’ve obviously spoken a little bit more over the last week because there are numerous news articles and whatnot out there. But in all honesty, it doesn’t really change anything on my side because, as I’ve said before, I feel I’m performing better than ever. And it’s as simple as that, really. Performance speaks for everything."

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Russell is indeed the better-performing Mercedes driver at the moment. With 147 points, he is in P4 in the drivers' championship, while teammate Antonelli is in P7 with 63 points, with some impressive performances coming in his debut season in the pinnacle of motorsport.

For now, Russell doesn't have to worry about Verstappen's move to Mercedes. According to information from GPblog, the Dutchman has not yet made a decision for next season, with more clarity coming during the summer break. So, it's also quite possible that Verstappen stays with Red Bull Racing.