George Russell says he expects to stay at Mercedes despite signs Max Verstappen could join

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. Speaking ahead of the British Grand Prix, Russell said he was confident of staying with Mercedes and argued that changing drivers would risk the team's competitiveness when sweeping rule changes come in 2026. Russell caused a stir last week when he suggested to broadcaster Sky Sports that “conversations with the likes of Verstappen are ongoing” and were a reason why he had yet to renew his contract for 2026.