Mercedes has confirmed its driver line-up for the 2026 F1 season, bringing an end to months of speculation surrounding its drivers.
The Brackley-based squad has announced that George Russell and Kimi Antonelli will remain in place with the team next year.
Having joined Mercedes in 2022, Russell's previous deal expired at the end of the current season, as talks with Toto Wolff, who also manages Russell, progressed slowly as the team courted Max Verstappen.
In the event that Mercedes did sign Verstappen, Russell was highly expected to be the driver to leave the team, but Wolff's interest in Verstappen cooled around the Belgian Grand Prix.
RacingNews365 previously reported that Russell had rejected several offers from the team as he sought better personal terms.
Russell has now cemented his position at the squad and will be joined once again by Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli has impressed at times in his rookie season, including with a sprint pole in Miami and his first F1 podium in Canada, but has struggled for performance at times.
The Italian has been part of the Mercedes junior programme for several years and joined the squad this year as a rookie, replacing Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton.
The Russell-Antonelli line-up will carry Mercedes into the sport's new era under fresh technical regulations in 2026.
Also interesting:
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