George Russell unbothered by contract speculation, focusing on performance

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

As speculation swirls around his future in Formula 1, George Russell says he's unfazed by the uncertainty surrounding his expiring Mercedes contract. The 27-year-old British driver, who has emerged as a key figure for the Silver Arrows following Lewis Hamilton’s departure, is in the final year of his three-year deal signed in 2023. Yet, Russell remains focused on what matters most: delivering strong performances on the track.

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Russell emphasized his calm approach to the situation. "From my side, there's literally no stress, no worries whatsoever," he said. "When it comes to contracts, everyone gets so excited about it, but the fact is, drivers have had contracts, and if they don't perform, they'll get booted out.

"For drivers, performance is our currency. That's what we've got. And if you perform, everything's good. So, I'm just excited to go racing this weekend, focus on performance, and the future sorts itself out."

Rumors linking Russell to both a potential move away from Mercedes and a long-term extension have heated up in recent weeks. Some reports claim he's already signed a two-year deal, while others suggest Mercedes might be positioning itself to attract a rival star, such as Red Bull's Max Verstappen. However, Russell himself downplayed the chatter and shared insight into Mercedes contract practices.

"A few [of the rumors] are reasonably close," Russell acknowledged. "But at the end of the day, we've never discussed a contract prior to May or June in a season."

Russell also pointed out that contracts in modern Formula 1 come with many caveats, making their true security debatable. "Everyone's got exit clauses, they've all got performance clauses," he explained. "A driver that's on a three-year contract, it doesn't really mean anything if they've got an exit clause, or the team has an exit clause if the driver doesn't perform.

"If you've got a contract with a team but the team wants you gone, the team finds a way to get you gone. That's how this sport works, and that's how it should work because we're 20 of the best in the world and it's ruthless. There's no time to mess around. All you can do is focus on driving fast."

Russell is currently fourth in the drivers' standings after a strong showing at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, where he secured second place ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris. While Russell claims his driving skill hasn’t changed significantly since last year, he believes he’s consistently operating at his best level yet.

"I don't think my performances have stepped up massively since last year," Russell reflected. "I think I was performing at a very good level throughout the end of last year, from probably Austin time onwards.

"Of course, being teammates with a seven-time world champion, you've always got a fight on your hands week in, week out. It wasn't straightforward, but I don't think I'm going about my business any different to what I was last year.

"But definitely, I do think I'm driving at the best of my abilities, and I feel that I'm getting stronger every single season. I still feel there's a lot of room for me to improve. I feel that I'm not even close to my peak yet. That excites me a lot, because I still see areas of improvement that are very much achievable, and that I very much believe will bring performance to my game."

Russell will now look to carry his promising form into the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, remaining laser-focused on delivering results while the contract debates are left for another day.

Up Next