George Russell on verge of landing £30m-a-year mega deal with Mercedes as F1 rival Verstappen set to stay at Red Bull
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
GEORGE RUSSELL is on the brink of a new £30million-a-year Mercedes deal with Max Verstappen set to stay at Red Bull for another year.
The British driver has been hashing out talks with Merc over the last few weeks, with just the final details to be fine tuned.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
3
George Russell is on the brink of a new £30million-a-year Mercedes deal
Credit: PA
3
Max Verstappen is set to stay at Red Bull for another year
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
Toto Wolff's team were keen for an agreement to be made after the final race in Hungary this weekend before the summer break.
It is likely to be later though as Russell's team go over the details of the new deal.
Mercedes had been keeping tabs on Verstappen but the Dutchman is set to stay put at Red Bull for 2026.
Following Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix he is now unable to activate a release clause that relied on him being outside the top three by the summer break.
READ MORE IN f1
ROSSED THE LINE Nico Rosberg in frosty exchange with Jos Verstappen over Christian Horner
The four-time world champion or Mercedes could still buy himself out of his deal that runs until 2028 - but it would cost a pretty penny and this option is not on Verstappen's radar.
Verstappen is third in the standings 28 points ahead of George Russell in fourth after winning the sprint race in Spa and coming fourth in Sunday's Grand Prix.
The Dutchman and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton are the highest earners on the grid on around £60m-a-year.
Meanwhile Russell's new deal will see him roughly on par with McLaren's Lando Norris and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.
CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
Mercedes suffered a disappointing run in Spa with Russell finishing fifth and Kimi Anontelli coming in 16th.
Frustrated Russell slammed the team's weekend and said crunch talks would be held this week to get to the bottom of the team's woes.
Nico Rosberg in frosty exchange with Jos Verstappen over Christian Horner after Red Bull sacking
He said: 'We really need to understand what is going on and why we've taken such a step backwards because these conditions (in Spa) are ideal for us and our car.
'It's been the worst performance of the season so we're going to have a big sit-down this week and try and figure it out.
'We need to sit down as a team. It may be as simple as reserving back to some of the old changes we've made. But in F1 it's never that simple.
'The car isn't feeling as nice to drive at the moment as it once did. Lacking rear stability.
'Kimi and I are collectively making more mistakes because the car is more challenging to drive. It seems quite strange how we've gone so far backwards.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
20 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
World Rugby rebuffs Joe Schmidt's safety claim over Lions' match-winning try
Hugo Keenan touched down with 51 seconds left at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but the match-winning try was only given after the TMO had reviewed Morgan's contact with Carlo Tizzano in the preceding ruck, which was ultimately deemed legal by referee Andrea Piardi. Furious Schmidt, who had seen his Wallabies edged 29-26 to concede the series with one Test to play, insisted it was the wrong call, adding that 'it doesn't really live up to the big player safety push that they (World Rugby) are talking about'. British and Irish Lions' Jac Morgan (centre) in action during the Qatar Airways Lions Tour 2025 match in Adelaide. (David Davies/PA) Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh backed Schmidt's view that it was a dangerous clearout and the try should have been disallowed. World Rugby has been conducting a review into the incident in conjunction with Australia, the Lions and the match officials, which will be completed in time for Saturday's final Test between the rivals in Sydney. Chief executive Alan Gilpin, speaking at an event revealing ticketing details for the 2027 World Cup, has hit back at Schmidt. 'It's disappointing when the reaction is one of 'this means player welfare isn't taken seriously' because we have worked really hard on that narrative,' said Gilpjn, who revealed Schmidt will not face disciplinary action for his comments. 'Everyone knows we are putting player welfare, in its broadest sense, at the top of the agenda. 'You can see that from what we are doing with the instrumented mouthguards, all the research, the science, the investigations. 'The way the laws of the game have evolved in the last few years is all about 'how do we have this great physical contest, but make it as safe as possible?'. That part is challenging, in terms of the player welfare statements.' Gilpin insists Piardi and his assistants Ben O'Keeffe and Nika Amashukeli are being supported amid the backlash against the officials in some quarters. And the World Rugby boss invoked Rassie Erasmus' public criticism of Nic Berry during the Lions' tour to South Africa in 2021 and the experiences of retired referee Wayne Barnes, who has spoken of the abuse his family received, to highlight the importance of protecting officials. 'It's just making them realise they're supported and that we are checking in on them. They're a great unit. They've been together on this tour as a team,' Gilpin said. 'You'll recall that in the last Lions series in South Africa, when the match official in the first Test was very heavily criticised…the mental health challenges… 'Wayne Barnes has talked about it. We've got match officials who, when they're criticised publicly, see their families targeted outside the school gates. 'That's not good, that's not fair and that's not right, so we've got to support these guys.' Australia 2027 has released details of its ticketing plan for the next World Cup, with fans able to register to access the presale from Tuesday.
The Herald Scotland
20 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
World Rugby rebuffs Joe Schmidt's safety claim over Lions' match-winning try
Furious Schmidt, who had seen his Wallabies edged 29-26 to concede the series with one Test to play, insisted it was the wrong call, adding that 'it doesn't really live up to the big player safety push that they (World Rugby) are talking about'. British and Irish Lions' Jac Morgan (centre) in action during the Qatar Airways Lions Tour 2025 match in Adelaide. (David Davies/PA) Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh backed Schmidt's view that it was a dangerous clearout and the try should have been disallowed. World Rugby has been conducting a review into the incident in conjunction with Australia, the Lions and the match officials, which will be completed in time for Saturday's final Test between the rivals in Sydney. Chief executive Alan Gilpin, speaking at an event revealing ticketing details for the 2027 World Cup, has hit back at Schmidt. 'It's disappointing when the reaction is one of 'this means player welfare isn't taken seriously' because we have worked really hard on that narrative,' said Gilpjn, who revealed Schmidt will not face disciplinary action for his comments. 'Everyone knows we are putting player welfare, in its broadest sense, at the top of the agenda. 'You can see that from what we are doing with the instrumented mouthguards, all the research, the science, the investigations. 'The way the laws of the game have evolved in the last few years is all about 'how do we have this great physical contest, but make it as safe as possible?'. That part is challenging, in terms of the player welfare statements.' Gilpin insists Piardi and his assistants Ben O'Keeffe and Nika Amashukeli are being supported amid the backlash against the officials in some quarters. And the World Rugby boss invoked Rassie Erasmus' public criticism of Nic Berry during the Lions' tour to South Africa in 2021 and the experiences of retired referee Wayne Barnes, who has spoken of the abuse his family received, to highlight the importance of protecting officials. 'It's just making them realise they're supported and that we are checking in on them. They're a great unit. They've been together on this tour as a team,' Gilpin said. 'You'll recall that in the last Lions series in South Africa, when the match official in the first Test was very heavily criticised…the mental health challenges… 'Wayne Barnes has talked about it. We've got match officials who, when they're criticised publicly, see their families targeted outside the school gates. 'That's not good, that's not fair and that's not right, so we've got to support these guys.' Australia 2027 has released details of its ticketing plan for the next World Cup, with fans able to register to access the presale from Tuesday.
STV News
20 minutes ago
- STV News
Raducanu digs deep to secure straight-sets victory over Ruse in Montreal
Emma Raducanu dug deep to progress to the second round of the National Bank Open in Montreal with a 6-2 6-4 win over Elena-Gabriela Ruse. Raducanu arrived at the WTA 1000 event fresh from an impressive semi-final showing at the Citi Open last week, but immediately faced five break points in her first service game. The world number 33 weathered the storm and despite a run of six games in a row midway through the match, Raducanu was largely forced to battle and scrap to ensure she chalked up a sixth win from her last eight matches. Raducanu was swiftly back in action after her last-four run in Washington, but quickly in trouble as Ruse forced five break points in the opening game of the match. In more hot and humid conditions in Canada, British number one Raducanu showed her resilience and leaned on her improved serve to claim a crucial hold before more issues were forthcoming in her next service game. After Raducanu again survived, having been taken to deuce, she sensed her moment and was able to break Ruse to move 3-2 up after the Romanian sent down two double-faults. It sparked a run of six consecutive games for Raducanu as she clinched the opener by a 6-2 score, but an early break at the start of the second set was followed by an immediate response from Ruse. While Raducanu forced more break points on Ruse's serve, it was not until the seventh game of set two when the 2021 US Open champion broke again to move 4-3 ahead. It started a run of three consecutive breaks before Raducanu kept her cool to close out victory at the first time of asking on serve after a demanding one-hour-and-37-minute battle in the country of her birth. Next up for Raducanu is a second-round meeting with 32nd seed Peyton Stearns. Katie Boulter was unable to join her compatriot in the next round after she lost 6-1 7-5 to Renata Zarazua. Boulter only narrowly avoided a first-set bagel and despite an improved level in the second set, she suffered a third successive loss. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
