Mercedes has officially confirmed that Kimi Antonelli and George Russell will remain with the team through the 2026 Formula 1 season. Following the announcement, both drivers expressed relief at securing their seats and emphasized their motivation to deliver strong results in the upcoming season.
Antonelli “relaxed” after confirmation amid challenges
The 19-year-old reflected on the confirmation with a sense of reassurance following an up-and-down F1 debut season with Mercedes.
Antonelli’s season started strongly with a fourth-place finish in the opening race in Melbourne, a pole position for the Miami Sprint, and then a P3 podium in Canada. Antonelli then faced a difficult mid-season run, including two DNFs between Austria and Monza, a 10th place in Hungary, and 16th-place finishes in Spa and the Netherlands. However, he regained momentum in Monza and has consistently scored points since, highlighted by a fourth-place finish in Baku.
“Yeah, I mean, as you said, with the team, the team has always been very clear on their plans on what they wanted to do, so I was never really worried. But it’s always nice to get the confirmation, you know,” Antonelli said. “Especially with all the up and down, especially the difficult periods, you know, some doubts start to kick in, but the team has always been very supportive and very open that they wanted to continue with me, especially for next year.”
He added, “So I’m really happy to have gotten the confirmation now that it’s been announced. And I think it’s also, even though I knew it, it still kind of relaxes me a little bit, a little bit more, because I know now that I’m in the seat for next year.”
Antonelli’s future at Mercedes
When asked about 2027 and the future, Antonelli admitted that it depends on his results.
“Well, you know, obviously it’s, well, to be honest, I don’t know. I race year by year and the goal is always trying to deliver the best result as possible. And as I said before, with the team, they obviously they want to work with me also in the future, not only next year, but I need to perform as well. So, you know, their plan is to continue with me as well, probably beyond 2026 as well.”
Reflecting on what it will take to secure his future beyond 2026, Antonelli continued, “But me as a driver, I need to perform and I need to deliver the result, especially next year, because next year I’m going to be having a year under the belt and it’s going to be a new regulation for everyone and a massive opportunity. So, especially if we have the car, it’s going to be really important for me to really maximise the result and to really perform at my best, especially if I want the seat for 2027 and beyond.”
Russell: “Mercedes is my best chance of winning”
Teammate George Russell also expressed satisfaction with his new deal, emphasizing that Mercedes remains the place where he believes he can achieve his ambitions.
“Well, for me, I’m really happy to be continuing, because the truth is, if every single seat was available for next year, and I could choose any single team to race for, I believe Mercedes is my best chance of winning the championship next year. And for me, winning is more about winning than it is about money or sponsor days or anything,” Russell reveals. “I want to win, and this is what I’m fighting for. So that is the long and short spin.”
Russell eyes long-term future with Mercedes
When asked about his long-term F1 future, Russell emphasized that performance will dictate any continuation beyond 2026. “Well, I think it always just comes down to performance. I think for any driver, or at least for myself, what allows me to sleep well at night is knowing that my performances are strong, and that is what will keep you in the sport as any driver. So I think, as I said, our intention and my goal is to continue with Mercedes indefinitely, and we’re here to focus on winning in 2026. Yeah, that’s that.”
The British driver also confirmed that the contract meets his expectations, praising the team’s recognition of his efforts and results. Russell has won in Canada and Singapore, been on the podium in 8 of the 18 races, and has not scored points in only one of the races so far.
“I’m very happy, to be honest, because given the situation and circumstancs with me and the team, Toto could have been substantially tighter if he wanted to be. But I think he really recognizes that you need to reward those who are delivering, who are putting in the effort and delivering those results on track. And as I said, that’s why I’m here with a smile on my face, because I’m very happy with the offer. And as I said, he could have been much tighter if he wanted to be. So, as I said, that’s the bonus, but the main goal for me is a fast race car.”
