‘How many of these questions?’ – George Russell’s testy response to Mercedes contract questions

George Russell was over being asked about his Mercedes future when he sat down for Thursday’s press conference in Singapore, as there’s still no deadline to finalise the expected extension.

Russell and his teammate Kimi Antonelli are out of contract at the end of this season, although Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has made it clear he wants to continue with both into F1 2026.

George Russell’s not-so-surprising Mercedes ‘surprise’

“I’ve always said there’s not going to be any big news, because we’re doing this,” Wolff told PlanetF1.com and other media outlets at Zandvoort. “We’re continuing with both of them, of course.”

Speaking specifically about Russell‘s fineprint, he added: “With George, [he] has a few things where we want to optimise some of the travelling and the marketing days, how many hours we’re putting [in].

“He’s an experienced driver, and for us, it’s always important to talk about it.”

But a month later and still without a signed contract, it has been suggested there’s more to it than that with Nico Rosberg pondering that Russell is “just not happy with a couple of terms in the contract”, and wants more money and fewer sponsorship commitments with the duration of the deal also said to be a sticking point.

Given Wolff’s prized target, Max Verstappen, is potentially available for F1 2027, it had been claimed that Mercedes are only willing to offer Russell a one-plus-one deal but that the Briton wants a multi-year contract.

As Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz put it, “If the discussions are about how much media and marketing he has to do, that’s fine compared to if Mercedes are saying ‘you can only have one year, George, to leave a hole open for Max Verstappen’. That would be more concerning.”

For now the wait continues.

F1 contracts: Made to be broken?

? Revealed: The six drivers out of contract at the end of the F1 2025 season

? F1 2026 driver line-up: Lewis Hamilton and other drivers already confirmed for 2026

“Surprise,” Russell told the media in Singapore. “No dates to give you. I told you you’d be the first to know when there’s something to report.

“I think for any driver, when you get to a certain point in your career, things have to be done right. Every time you renew a contract, it’s the most important one of your life and it has to be done with good care. There’s nothing to worry about, and it will get done when it gets done.”

Asked if he was being a ‘tough negotiator’, Russell grew tired of the questions about his F1 future.

“How many of these questions?” he said. “You keep on going!

“No, I don’t think so. I think it’s just about something that’s fair, mutually beneficial. I think that’s what we all chase.

“It’s obviously different for certain drivers who may have a bit more power, may have a bit less power.

“But as I said, no more updates. Nothing to report. I’ll be glad to tell you all once there is.”

According to reports, Russell’s negotiations are progressing with the Briton set to be offered a multi-year deal.

“Things are moving and progressing,” the four-time grand prix winner confirmed. “As I’ve said on numerous occasions before, it’s not like we sit at home on the sofa with our feet up and nothing else is going on.

“I’ve been in Brackley and Brixworth this week, working hard on the sim, looking ahead also to next year. Last week, I had a couple of sponsor events, training, getting back in shape. Our schedules are extremely busy.

“There is no danger of that [not having a contract going into the winter] happening but if it does, it does. But I don’t expect it to.”

Read next: Christian Horner as F1’s next team owner? Where former Red Bull boss might land in 2026