George Russell has revealed the new contract he agreed with Mercedes earlier this month does not guarantee he will drive for them beyond next year.

Mercedes announced Russell would continue to drive for them in 2026 but did not give any further details of his new deal. Reports elsewhere claimed Russell had agreed a “multi-year” contract.

However Russell has now indicated the contract is for a single year and any extension depends on how well he performs.

“It is something I haven’t actually said publicly, but the deal is, if I’m performing [next year], we have a specific clause that if I reach [a certain target], we will automatically renew for 2027,” he told The Telegraph.

“So my seat for 2027 is in my hands. So I’m not being strung along here. We’re not going to be in the same position as we were six months ago. If I perform, and I don’t want to go into details, but if I perform, then 100% I’ll be staying.”

Performance clauses are typical features of drivers’ contracts and can impose terms on either side. Max Verstappen’s long-term contract with Red Bull reportedly gave him the option of leaving the team if he was not at least third in the championship at the summer break.

Mercedes team principal and co-owner Toto Wolff was long rumoured to be courting Verstappen before agreeing a new deal with Russell. However after Verstappen confirmed he will remain at Red Bull next year, Mercedes announced it will retain the same driver line-up for 2026.

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Russell said the delay in agreeing his latest deal turned out in his favour. “Everything works out for the best,” he said. “I actually wanted to sign the deal back in October 2024 but the deal I got today is substantially better than what I would have got had I signed it then. So, yeah, sometimes I think you just have to trust in your ability and I feel I’m only getting stronger.”

If Russell performs well enough to ensure himself a seat in 2027, Mercedes’ only option to bring Verstappen in would be by replacing his current team mate, Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Although Russell has a particularly strong rivalry with the Red Bull driver, he sees no reason why they shouldn’t be able to work together.

“You don’t need to be best mates as team mates,” he said. “Senna and Prost weren’t good friends and they still finished one-two. Lewis [Hamilton] and Nico [Rosberg], one-two. Obviously Lewis and Fernando [Alonso] is a notable exception. But Lewis should have won that year.

“So, yeah, Max is an incredible driver. There’s no denying that. But that’s why I would relish going up against him. We all believe we’re the best.”

However Russell believes Verstappen would face “more of a lose-lose situation” by joining him at Mercedes. “The same as when I was team mates with Lewis. If he beat me, he was expected to. But if he lost to me, yeah, it’s seen as a big loss. Or the same with me and Kimi now. But I mean, we’re getting well ahead of ourselves here.”

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