Ralf Schumacher doesn’t believe George Russell has to worry about his job—here’s why he thinks the Mercedes driver is currently secure in his position
If Ralf Schumacher is to be believed, Mercedes won’t play a role in the “Silly Season” of the 2026 Formula 1 summer. The expert expects the Silver Arrows to line up with Kimi Antonelli and George Russell again next year.
While Antonelli, as the current championship leader, is likely a sure bet at Mercedes anyway, there is repeated speculation about the future of his teammate Russell—often in connection with a possible signing of Max Verstappen.
“If I were his manager, I’d naturally love to get [Max] a spot at Mercedes,” expert Jenson Button recently told Sky. But Ralf Schumacher doesn’t consider this a particularly realistic scenario.
Admittedly, Russell is currently “fairly receiving a lot of criticism,” according to Schumacher on Sky’s “Backstage Boxengasse” podcast. That’s because, despite his experience, the 28-year-old Brit has consistently been slower than Antonelli so far this year.
However, Schumacher points to the “very long-standing relationship” between Mercedes and Russell, who joined the Silver Arrows’ junior program back in 2017. For that reason, the expert can’t imagine Toto Wolff letting Russell go.
“Why would he replace him? He has a driver he’s known for a long time, whom he can assess,” said Schumacher, who suspects that Russell’s seat is secure “as long as he […] doesn’t start getting political” or “go too hard against Antonelli.”
After all, Team Principal Wolff has repeatedly emphasized in the past that he has no interest in seeing a repeat of the toxic scenario from the Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg era. But even if that were to happen, Russell has nothing to worry about, according to Schumacher.
From a racing perspective, there’s also no reason—at least on paper—for Mercedes to change its driver lineup for 2027. The team currently leads the Constructors’ World Championship and holds the top two spots in the Drivers’ World Championship.
Toto Wolff also recently made it clear to Sky: “We don’t want any changes. I’m satisfied with both of our drivers. This driver lineup is good for us.”
