George Russell reveals 'lessons' after Mercedes F1 contract delay

George Russell has stated he took “lessons” from his contract delay with Mercedes last year amid the noise that surrounded the negotiations.

Russell entered last year's campaign on an expiring contract, having originally joined the Brackley-based squad in 2022.

Despite a strong run during the first half of the year, Russell's future became the subject of scrutiny as Max Verstappen became increasingly linked with a switch to Mercedes.

In mid-October, Russell and team-mate Kimi Antonelli were finally announced to the 2026 drives, long after rumours of a Verstappen-Mercedes tie-up cooled. 

When asked if he felt somewhat underappreciated by Mercedes throughout the delay, Russell told select media including RacingNews365: “Yeah, to a degree.

“But I wouldn’t say that was because of the conversations that… let’s say, [it was] less of a contract saga as such.

“But it’s very simple. Sometimes, you’re appreciated if you think you’re getting your worth and you feel unappreciated if you’re not, regardless of conversations that are going on.

“So that was rectified quite quickly when we signed the deal, and for me, it was as simple as that. It was no distraction. I just focused on the racing.”

Russell stated he has learned through the experience to block out the outside noise, knowing his on-track results are the best method of ensuring he keeps his seat.

“I guess there’s also some lessons for me that whatever the noise is that’s going on externally, there’s no real need to worry too much about that,” he said.

“You can be the nicest guy or the most hated one, but if you get in the car and you do the job, nobody remembers or thinks about the rest. They only care about the lap times.”