Mercedes have confirmed that George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli will remain as F1 race drivers with the team for the 2026 F1 season.
The Brackley-based team have confirmed it has agreed deals to maintain its 2025 line-up for another season, with the 27-year-old British driver Russell and 19-year-old Italian Antonelli to stay for at least one more year.
News of the extensions was confirmed ahead of the United States Grand Prix this weekend, with the deal coming after Russell won the last Formula One Grand Prix in Singapore. The British driver is the only other driver after championship top 3 Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen to have won a Grand Prix in 2025 so far, with Russell having also won in Canada in June.
Mercedes did not specifically confirm how long Russell or Antonelli’s deals will last for, merely only confirming that both will stay with the team for 2026. This comes amid rumours that Mercedes could yet make another attempt to sign Red Bull’s lead driver Max Verstappen for 2027, with the Brackley-based team having courted Verstappen on multiple occasions in the past.
When attempts to bring Verstappen to the team for 2026 failed to work, Mercedes said that the team was happy to stay with its two drivers, with no other drivers having been consistently linked with the vacant seats.
The move comes as Mercedes take part in a tight fight for a top 2 position in F1’s Constructors Championship. After their win in Singapore last time out, Mercedes moved up to second in the table, with the Brackley-based team on 325 points, albeit 325 behind the already-confirmed champions McLaren. The team are 27 ahead of third place Ferrari and 35 clear of fourth place Red Bull, with six races including three sprint events to go.
In a statement, Mercedes-AMG Petronas’ Team Principal and CEO Toto Wolff said the team was happy to made an arrangement to keep its drivers in place for the 2026 season.
Wolff said, “Confirming our driver line-up was always just a matter of when, not if. We wanted to take our time, handle the negotiations properly and make sure everyone, on all sides, was happy. I’m pleased we have done that.
“George and Kimi have proved a strong pairing and we’re excited to continue our journey together. Our focus is now on the final six races of the year, as we fight for second in the Constructors’, and onwards to 2026 and a new era in F1.”
Russell said he was happy to stick with the team, with the driver set to make it 10 years of association with Mercedes after being supported by the manufacturer during his junior career and his spell with Williams.
He said, “I am really proud to be continuing our journey together. Next year will mark my 10th since I signed with Mercedes back in 2017. It has been such a long and successful partnership with the team so far and I can’t wait to see what lies ahead, particularly as we embark on one of the largest regulation changes in the sport’s history next year.
“We are all incredibly focused on making that a success and, for me personally, building on what has been my strongest season in F1 to date.”
Meanwhile, Antonelli said he was excited to continue with Mercedes for a second season in the sport, having made his F1 debut this year.
He said, “I’m super excited to be continuing with the team. I’ve learnt so much in my first season in F1, both in the good moments and the more challenging ones. Those have all made me stronger, not only as a driver but as a team-mate too.
“I want to say thank you to Toto and everyone at Brackley and Brixworth for their continued support and faith in me.
“Our focus now is to finish this year strongly and secure second in the Constructors’ Championship, before we then turn our full attention to 2026.”