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.

George Russell says the chances of him not being a Mercedes driver next year are “exceptionally low”, adding he expects Kimi Antonelli to remain as his team-mate.

George Russell believes he won’t be leaving Mercedes at the end of the season despite speculation linking Red Bull’s Max Verstappen with the team. Russell, who is in the middle of his fourth season with Mercedes, does not currently have a contract beyond 2025 despite a strong first half of the season.