George Russell handed 'Steven Spielberg' instruction to resurrect Mercedes

George Russell has been told his experience as Mercedes team leader will help prevent the team from getting stuck in a Steven Spielberg trap after agreeing a new contract.

Months were speculation were ended on Wednesday after Russell signed a fresh deal with the team, staying on for 2026, with no details being provided about Russell's future beyond next season, with boss Toto Wolff keen to sign Max Verstappen.

Wolff's interest in Verstappen cooled after it became clear he would be staying with Red Bull for the first year of F1's rules overhaul, where both the chassis and power units are to undergo major changes.

Given its success with the original turbo hybrid units in 2014, Mercedes High Performance Powertrains has been rumoured to have an advantage over the other manufacturers, potentially providing Mercedes, McLaren, Williams and new customer Alpine with a key advantage over rivals, with Russell entering his eighth season in F1 in 2026. 

It will be his second as Mercedes team leader, with this experience of a potential 152 grand prix starts identified by one former F1 driver as a key tool in helping Mercedes to hit the ground running with a clear direction.

"He's got a lot of experience under his belt now, and he knows how a car feels if the wind is changing direction by five miles an hour," Perry McCarthy told RacingNews365. 

"One of the abilities of a top racing driver isn't just about bravery and a lot of speed, it's about judgment, recording that judgment and understanding it, and that is how you help lead engineers and accelerate the process.

"Because if you leave engineers to being engineers, they won't make a decision because they're surrounded by a Steven Spielberg warehouse of data, so you have to try and focus everybody's attention on the here and now. 

"George has been leading the team this year already with the [preparations] for the new regulations, and if the rumours are true that Mercedes may hit the ground running, he's probably anticipating leading from the front next year.

"When George joined Mercedes, it went on a slight downturn, the team lost its form, but when it has been working, he's picked up wins. 

"You're building on things to draw from all the time, and if you're mentally strong enough, you're building on all of this, and when you get to a position where you've seen and done it all before."