While George Russell said interested teams have reached out in the past, no F1 2026 talks beyond Mercedes are currently active. The four-time grand prix winner feels little need to speak with rival teams – despite rumours that Max Verstappen could swap Red Bull for Mercedes – as Russell sees only an “exceptionally low” chance that he is not part of the Mercedes F1 2026 line-up.

George Russell has been affiliated with Mercedes since 2017 and has raced for its Formula 1 team since 2022. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen is under contract with Red Bull Racing through 2028. Russell insists that he has never entered into any discussions with other teams.

George Russell says there’s an “exceptionally low” chance he’ll leave Mercedes next year even after he claimed the team was holding talks with Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen