George Russell has suggested his contract renewal talks with Mercedes are being held up because the team are still keen to sign Formula One champion Max Verstappen.

George Russell has been one of the top performers in 2025, consistently delivering strong results in the W16. Despite Mercedes lacking the raw pace to challenge McLaren, the British driver regularly finds himself fighting in the podium positions.

Tension seems to be in the air, even if it's denied. It's hard to ignore that Mercedes is exploring new horizons.