George Russell is on the verge of securing a new contract with Mercedes, with team principal Toto Wolff indicating that an agreement should be finalised "pretty soon."
Despite Russell's current career-best form, his existing contract is nearing its end, and substantive negotiations to extend his tenure have been deferred.
Speaking recently, Wolff outlined a tentative timeline, stating, "I guess before the summer."
In an interview with the New York Times, the 27-year-old Briton expressed mild frustration at the trend of increasingly early contract signings in Formula 1. "When Lewis (Hamilton) was here, they never discussed the contract prior to June, July," Russell said.
"It was always the summer. The abnormal part is probably how many drivers have signed so early. I feel a lot of drivers who are so fixated on trying to secure their futures are maybe ones who don't have as much self-belief in themselves and feel the need to have that security."
Russell's rookie teammate, Kimi Antonelli, a protégé of Wolff and close to his family, appears firmly entrenched in Mercedes' other seat. The team underscored Antonelli's status by sponsoring a Netflix special, "The Seat," which chronicles the teenage Italian's selection to replace Hamilton.
"The Seat is an unprecedented inside look into the biggest driver change in F1 history," Mercedes announced on social media, noting the special was "brought to you" by team sponsor WhatsApp.
Last year, Wolff aggressively pursued Red Bull's Max Verstappen amid the Milton Keynes team's internal turmoil, raising speculation that Russell's seat might be held open for the Dutchman in 2026.
Former Racing Bulls boss Franz Tost now weighs in, telling Sport1, "Now, it depends on whether Max sticks to his contract. If he does move, there are various teams for him and Mercedes is the top priority. But Aston Martin could also be of interest to him."
Russell, however, remains unfazed about his future, bolstered by his strong performances. Reports have even suggested preliminary discussions with Red Bull as a potential replacement for Verstappen.
"Performance is our only currency," Russell said. "And if you perform, the rest sorts itself out. When people aren't satisfied, people want change, so let's see. I think it'll be an interesting summer."
Some insiders believe Wolff's recent comments signal a cooling interest in Verstappen, given the promising speed and cohesion of the Russell-Antonelli pairing.
Wolff reassured Russell, stating, "He has a contract. Just (need to) agree on the final details." He reiterated that a new deal is imminent, adding that Russell should have it "pretty soon."
Russell echoed this confidence, commenting, "In this sport, performance speaks. So from my side, there's no pressure. I've got no doubts about myself, and everything falls into place when the timing is right. As I said, we've got bigger fish to fry right now, which is getting us back on top."
