The air around Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team is thick with anticipation and intrigue as the 2025 season barrels toward its final stretch. The spotlight is firmly on George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, the team’s dynamic driver duo, whose futures with Mercedes have become the talk of the paddock following a string of headline-grabbing performances and contract wranglings. With the Singapore Grand Prix now in the rearview mirror, the Brackley-based outfit finds itself balancing the demands of its star drivers with the ever-present specter of rival teams and a shifting Formula 1 landscape.
George Russell’s recent triumph at the Marina Bay Street Circuit has only intensified speculation. The Briton delivered a masterclass from pole position, controlling the race from start to finish and securing Mercedes’ first victory in Singapore since Lewis Hamilton’s win in 2018. As Mercedes Team Principal and CEO Toto Wolff remarked, “Everything went well today. The driver-car combination was almost dominant. He controlled the race at all times.” That victory not only matched Russell’s most successful F1 season to date—his 2022 campaign—but also solidified his role as team leader after Hamilton’s high-profile switch to Ferrari.
Yet, as Russell’s stock rises, so too does the complexity of his ongoing contract negotiations. While Mercedes traditionally offers one-year extensions, Russell is pushing for more: an automatically activated additional year should he outscore his teammate, Kimi Antonelli, in 2026. According to RacingNews365, this clause has become a sticking point, with Wolff reportedly reluctant to commit beyond the standard term. The negotiations are further complicated by Russell’s desire to reduce his marketing obligations, currently set at 60 days per year—a crucial asset for Mercedes’ partners and sponsors.
Despite these hurdles, Wolff has sought to reassure fans and media alike. Speaking after the Singapore Grand Prix, he teased, “Contract-wise, good things take a while. It’s about the detail, and it’s not about the big topics.” When pressed by Sky Germany, he added, “We’ll announce it soon enough.” Wolff’s careful wording suggests that the final touches are being applied to Russell’s new deal, and that an official announcement is imminent. On October 9, 2025, Wolff went a step further, confirming that both Russell and Antonelli are set to remain with Mercedes for the 2026 season. “Yes. Both confirmed!” he declared, finally putting to rest the swirling rumors of driver changes—at least for now.
The confirmation of Antonelli’s seat alongside Russell is significant in its own right. The 19-year-old Italian rookie has endured a rollercoaster debut season, marked by flashes of brilliance and the inevitable learning curve that comes with stepping into Formula 1’s highest echelon. After a promising start, Antonelli hit a rough patch during the European leg, recording four retirements and managing only two points finishes, including a challenging outing at Monza where he spun off track during FP2 and finished ninth in the race. Wolff didn’t mince words, labeling Antonelli’s Monza weekend as “underwhelming,” and candidly told the media, “You can’t put the car in the gravel bed and then expect to be there.”
But if Wolff’s critique was intended to motivate, it seems to have worked wonders. Antonelli bounced back with a strong P4 finish in Azerbaijan and a fifth-place result in Singapore—no small feat for a rookie on unfamiliar circuits. Wolff observed, “Since Baku I think we’ve seen a lot of big focus. Certainly Europe hasn’t helped, because there was so much attention on him and expectations were so high. I feel like he has less work outside, in terms of media duties and sponsorship duties, and he’s spending all of his time with his engineering team and that’s good.”
Wolff’s approach to Antonelli’s development has been refreshingly pragmatic. He encourages mistakes as part of the learning process, emphasizing that the 2025 season is the last under the current regulations and that all drivers will be starting from scratch in 2026. “All the other drivers had got used to these cars—it’s his first year, he doesn’t know the track, he doesn’t know all of this world. So for next year everybody starts at zero with a car that you need to learn and, in that respect, I think he’s doing a good job, and it seems to have worked to [have] lit a little bit of fire under the a***, so we’ll see.”
As for Russell, his focus remains on performance rather than contract drama. The Briton has shrugged off concerns about the slow pace of negotiations, insisting that he’s committed to making the most of his current opportunities. “For me, it’s all about capitalising on the opportunities that are available to me and my team, which I have been doing since lights out in Melbourne until the flag dropped in the Marina Bay Street Circuit this past Sunday,” Russell stated. The confidence is palpable—and justified, given his two victories and consistent form in 2025, which many pundits argue have made him the standout driver on the grid aside from Max Verstappen.
Speaking of Verstappen, Mercedes’ interest in the four-time world champion has been an open secret. The Dutchman’s contract with Red Bull runs through 2026, but his availability thereafter looms large over Mercedes’ long-term planning. While the team explored the possibility of signing Verstappen, he confirmed he would remain with Red Bull for 2026, prompting Mercedes to keep their options open for 2027. The mere prospect of Verstappen on the market is enough to influence contract strategy, and perhaps explains Wolff’s hesitancy to grant Russell the automatic extension he seeks.
For now, though, Mercedes’ immediate future appears settled. Both Russell and Antonelli are confirmed for 2026, with the team banking on a blend of proven leadership and youthful potential. Wolff’s praise for both drivers has been effusive, but he remains realistic about the challenges ahead. “This is a very high level already; if you look at George and Max [Verstappen], the skills are so high, and there’s a few others that fall into that bracket. I think actually making it into that group would be a success. The junior track record is phenomenal, the best probably that we’ve seen since 10 years—in go-karting [he was] exceptional—but Formula 1 is a different ball game.”
With contract announcements on the horizon and both drivers determined to prove themselves, Mercedes fans have plenty to look forward to as the 2025 season draws to a close. The negotiations may have been delicate, but for now, the Silver Arrows have their lineup locked in—and the next chapter in their storied history is ready to be written.
