George Russell has denied the notion that the delay behind him signing a new contract with Mercedes is due to his desire to possess a longer-term deal in Formula 1.
The announcement that Max Verstappen will remain at Red Bull has all but guaranteed that Russell will retain his place at Mercedes, alongside Kimi Andrea Antonelli.
Having delivered his strongest campaign to date with six podiums in 14 races, Russell wouldn’t be begrudged angling to agree terms that mirror his value to the team.
But despite his recognition that Mercedes could reignite interest in Verstappen at a later date, Russell has indicated that contract length has not been a sticking point.
The Briton, who is reported to be in discussions over a prospective renewal until 2027, has reiterated that his results on track will continue to determine his prospects.
“The priority for me is having a World Championship-winning car, and I want that to be with Mercedes. That is the number one priority,” Russell told Autosport.
“I think drivers who are chasing long-term deals feel they need that security.
“I’ve never had a long-term deal, and I don’t need a long-term deal, because it should always be about performance.
“And if I’m not performing, the team shouldn’t be tied in with me. That’s as simple as that.”
Likewise, Russell has noted that not being locked into a long-term deal leaves his options open in case Mercedes is unable to provide him a title-challenging package.
“It should work both ways,” he added. “But I’m not really chasing anything right now, and I’ve not really been in a position to chase.”
Russell willing to be patient at Mercedes
Mercedes had won an unprecedented eight consecutive Constructors’ titles up until the most recent regulation change in 2022, which coincided with Russell’s arrival.
But while Red Bull and McLaren have dominated since then, Russell has expressed his willingness to bide his time at Mercedes with new rules on the horizon in 2026.
“I’m definitely more hungry than ever just to try and perform,” the ex-Williams driver claimed.
“I would have hoped by now, seven seasons in, I would have at least had a year of fighting for a championship.
“When I joined Mercedes, we thought every year would be a championship fight. Unfortunately, it hasn’t turned out that way.
“It’s been the same for Charles [Leclerc] as well. Arguably, nobody would have predicted two years ago McLaren would have made this step. Lando [Norris] did five years with them and had no [title] fights either. So, you’ve just got to accept the fact that that is the nature of F1. That’s always been the case.
“And you look at Michael Schumacher, he was in his fifth year with Ferrari, in his 30s, before he won a championship with them. I’m 27, so I’ve still got a bit of time on my side.”
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