Apr.20 (GMM) George Russell insists he expects to stay at Mercedes past 2026, regardless of rising hypothesis about Max Verstappen probably getting into the market.
With solely subsequent season formally assured in his present deal, Russell says the efficiency clauses tied to his contract are unlikely to be a difficulty.
“You meet the targets and transfer on. So I’ll be right here on the workforce subsequent 12 months, and that’s it. There’s actually nothing extra to say about it,” he mentioned.
“It’s a multi-year contract. It runs for a number of years, and as we mentioned final 12 months – and as is usually the case with such contracts – even when the targets aren’t met, you proceed if you happen to’re glad.
“However as I mentioned, the targets will very doubtless be met.”
The Briton is at the moment locked in an early-season battle with teammate and championship chief Kimi Antonelli, who has taken two wins from pole within the opening rounds.
Nevertheless, Russell insists relations contained in the workforce stay steady.
“We now have a totally regular relationship, the title will not be a difficulty between us. We merely be sure that we preserve Mercedes on the high collectively,” he mentioned.
“Firstly, they are going to one hundred pc give us each the identical alternatives. That’s at all times been the case at Mercedes, ever since Nico Rosberg.
“In fact, I hope it’s simply the 2 of us preventing for the championship, however I don’t wish to get forward of myself.”
Waiting for Miami, Russell is already targeted on enhancing key weaknesses.
“As I mentioned, I wish to take advantage of each race, and that features engaged on my begins. That’s precisely what we’re doing proper now – we’ve already made some modifications to the process.”
Antonelli, in the meantime, says the intra-team dynamic stays robust regardless of the title combat.
“The break was too lengthy, I wish to get again to racing. Nothing has modified with Russell – our relationship is strong,” he informed La Repubblica.
“Our relationship is strong and hasn’t modified. We respect one another so much. But it surely’s clear that I is usually a challenger. I wish to win races and championships, that’s my aim.
“Each George and I’ve an enormous alternative with such a robust automobile, and neither of us needs to waste it.”
He added that each drivers perceive the larger image for Mercedes.
“We now have private objectives, however we all know we should assist the workforce win the Constructors’ Championship,” mentioned Antonelli. “I’m satisfied that the connection with George is superb and can stay so all through the season.”
In the meantime, Dr Helmut Marko thinks Toto Wolff is already engaged on the Mercedes lineup of the long run – and it might be all-Austrian.
“Sure, his son (Jack) is an actual pace demon in go-karts, very like Johan, Gerhard Berger’s son,” Marko informed Osterreich. “I’m in fixed contact with Gerhard by cellphone.”
