Why George Russell has not yet signed a new Mercedes contract

George Russell has rejected multiple Mercedes contract offers as he attempts to swing the terms of the deal in his favour.

Although Mercedes never officially declared when it would announce Russell's extension, the expectation within the paddock was that it would happen in September. 

However, that has not been the case. Mercedes still has not communicated a new contract for the British driver and it remains unclear when the signature will be put to paper.

RacingNews365 and Formula.hu understand that Russell has had multiple offers from Mercedes but has pushed them aside each time. 

Russell wants to see progress in several areas from the proposals he has received so far. 

The multi-time race winner does not only want an improved salary, but would also like to see revamped conditions.

This includes, for example, the length of the contract as well as the number of marketing days he has to do for the German manufacturer. 

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It is still expected that the two parties will come to an agreement, as both Russell and Mercedes really have no option but to continue with one another, and the intention to do so still appears intact.

But the question still remains: when will an agreement be reached?

It is interesting to see Russell's approach to the negotiations, as it is clear he is confident with his daring approach. Might that be because of Toto Wolff's well-known interest in Max Verstappen, or do Mercedes and Russell have different views?

As a driver stays with a team for a longer period, the number of obligatory marketing days often decreases, and the salary is augmented considerably. 

This is largely down to the driver's performance, as the team seeks to protect them more so that they can continue to perform at a top level.

The discussion between Russell and Mercedes indicates the team does not want to go to extremes to keep the Briton employed, something they did for Lewis Hamilton in the past.

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The difference, of course, is that Russell is also not a world champion, and perhaps that is also where the difference lies between the thoughts of Russell and Mercedes. 

Russell will feel that he is reaching the peak of his career and now wants to reap the benefits. 

Mercedes would like to keep 60 marketing days for Russell, but the Briton wants to get that figure down even more.

In addition, contract length also remains an issue in the long-running discussion about the new contract for Russell. He is somewhat flexible and would even be open to a one-year deal, but wants a clause attached to it. 

This involves him relying on having his deal automatically renewed if he beats team-mate Kimi Antonelli next year.

The fact remains that there are no stronger options available on the driver market for Mercedes, and when the terms are agreed, it is likely both Russell and Antonelli will be announced together.

Antonelli has a multi-year junior contract with the team and only needs to wait for an official announcement from the Brackley-based squad.