George Russell has confirmed there is a clause in his new Mercedes contract that means he will "100 per cent" be staying with the team if he continues to perform well in F1 next season.
The British driver's new deal was announced ahead of the United States Grand Prix, and whilst widely understood to be for potentially multiple years, only 2026 was explicitly mentioned.
Mercedes has tended towards agreeing on '1+1' extensions with its drivers, with the option usually on the team's side.
However, Russell has now shared that 2027 is in his "hands", not team principal Toto Wolff's, so long as he can satisfy the performance-based clause written into his fresh contract.
Speaking to British broadsheet newspaper The Telegraph in the run-up to the Mexico City Grand Prix, the 27-year-old said: "It is something I haven’t actually said publicly, but the deal is, if I’m performing [next year], we have a specific clause that if I reach [a certain target], we will automatically renew for 2027.
"So my seat for 2027 is in my hands. So I’m not being strung along here. We’re not going to be in the same position as we were six months ago.
"If I perform, and I don’t want to go into details, but if I perform, then 100 per cent I’ll be staying."
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Why it matters
The clause is significant for Russell — and the F1 driver market next year, which promises to feature a silly season to rival the one for the current campaign, when there was considerable change on the grid.
Crucially, it goes a long way to protecting the five-time grand prix winner from the external threat of Max Verstappen, who was engaged in talks with Wolff earlier this year.
The Austrian has long been an admirer of the four-time F1 drivers' champion, and has made no secret of the fact he would love to see the Red Bull driver make the switch from Milton Keynes to Brackley.
That was the source of internal tension at Mercedes this season, with Russell's contract negotiations delayed by Wolff's "flirting" with the Dutchman, who ultimately opted to stay put for now.
With team-mate Kimi Antonelli highly valued by the eight-time constructors' champions and thought to be the future of the team, it makes Verstappen a very real threat to Russell's seat security.
Further extending the wait for the final confirmation of Russell's inevitable new deal was his improved bargaining position.
As one of the stand-out performers in F1 this season, he has commanded more favourable terms than he initially would have been offered by the team.
After 20 rounds of the 24-event schedule, he has secured two victories and achieved six further podium finishes to sit fourth in the drivers' standings.
The deal is believed to be worth £30 million per year, which puts his paycheque behind that of only Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
He has also been able to agree on improved details elsewhere within his new contract, such as the number of PR days he is obligated to work.
"Everything works out for the best," added Russell. "I actually wanted to sign the deal back in October 2024 but the deal I got today is substantially better than what I would have got had I signed it then.
"So yeah, sometimes I think you just have to trust in your ability and I feel I’m only getting stronger."
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