George Russell contract claim made that is creating major Mercedes-Max Verstappen problem

Former Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner believes George Russell is creating Mercedes a problem in its hopes to sign Max Verstappen from Red Bull. 

Both Russell and Kimi Antonelli remain without a contract for next season, leading to Verstappen being heavily linked to the Silver Arrows in recent weeks. 

However, the general expectation is that if Toto Wolff manages to persuade the Dutchman to join, it would be to partner Antonelli. 

Russell suggested in Austria that Mercedes' conversations with Verstappen had slowed his renewal talks, despite enjoying one of his strongest seasons in F1 to date. 

The Briton, who has taken the leadership baton from Lewis Hamilton and is currently fighting Verstappen for third in the F1 drivers' title race, has insisted he has no concerns over his future. 

However, Steiner wonders if Russell is demanding a longer contract than Mercedes is prepared to give him, in the hope of attracting Verstappen further down the line in 2027.

"I think they want to give George a one-year contract to have the possibility of having Max in '27, and George obviously says, 'I don't want a one-year contract. I want three years', something like this," Steiner told the Red Flags podcast. 

"Or George is [complaining] about money, and Toto just wants to put the heat on him. I don't know the inside, but there could be a lot of things why this has played out like this. 

"But I think the biggest thing is, I would think Max says, 'In '26 I stay with Red Bull, see where everybody ends up performance-wise, and then maybe I make a change for '27'. 

"Because I think he can do that as well, like every year with the performance of the car, but obviously Mercedes needs to have a place in '27 for him. 

"And obviously, Toto is putting his money on Kimi, that in '27 he will be good because he has then had two years in Formula 1. And I guess the offer for George is a one-year contract. And George is saying, 'No, I want three years'."