28-07-2025
Nico Rosberg on Russell's Contract: 'Toto's Horrible to Negotiate With'
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Former Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg has opened up on the situation that could be unfolding for George Russell amid the delay in talks of his contract extension. Rosberg recalled that team principal Toto Wolff was "horrible to negotiate with" during his days at Mercedes.
Russell's current contract expires at the end of the 2025 season, and with the summer break approaching after the Hungarian Grand Prix, a contract extension is nowhere in sight.
Wolff was open about the ongoing talks with Red Bull driver Max Verstappen for the future. Still, he recently confirmed ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix that Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli will form the team's driver lineup for the 2026 season.
But with the delayed discussions, Russell admitted that he couldn't take Wolff's statements at face value. He said:
George Russell of Great Britain and Mercedes talks with Mercedes GP Executive Director Toto Wolff at the Mercedes GP Team Photo during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina...
George Russell of Great Britain and Mercedes talks with Mercedes GP Executive Director Toto Wolff at the Mercedes GP Team Photo during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on November 23, 2023 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. More"No, not really. That was for you [media], not for me. You know, what happens behind closed doors is behind closed doors. Nothing from my side has changed.
"I wasn't even aware of this statement until one hour ago, so it's not something I'm looking for, it's not something I really care about."
Speaking on the possibility of talks taking place before the summer break, the British driver said:
"I don't know. You know, there is still no contract on the table, so to have something done in the space of two weeks is unlikely. It's got to work both ways, and you need to talk about the finer details.
"Formula One's evolving so much now — you need to go through everything with a fine-tooth comb to make sure it's all OK. But as I said, there is no rush really from my side, because ultimately, those from the team will decide what they wish to do, and I will be in a position of reacting to what they wish to do. As I said, I'm just focusing on performance, and everything else will sort itself out."
Rosberg, who raced for Mercedes from 2010 to 2016, spoke on Russell's situation, highlighting that something was "cooking" at Mercedes. He told Sky Sports F1:
"Did you hear George Russell? He was like, 'Oh, no, definitely I won't have a contract signed by Hungary. Like, so definitive that he knows nothing's gonna happen until Hungary, so there must be something cooking there, right?"
Addressing that the summer break begins after the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix, he said:
"Sure, but it's like we're in August then. There's only a couple of months left after that to the end of the season. And he's like, 'oh no, for sure I'm not gonna have a contract yet' - that's a bit extreme, no?"
The former champion then highlighted his experience with Wolff when it came to negotiating contract extensions. Rosberg said:
"Toto's horrible to negotiate with, because his tactic is to disappear. So when you try... like George now, he's trying to get hold of him, Toto will disappear... George will be trying to write Toto to get him [to get] a move on, or whatever, and Toto disappears."
He added:
"By the way, this is not a fact; this is just me making it up. But I remember from my time that was his style, just like disappearing, not answering, being hard to reach... and it's horrible, because you're like, 'come on!'
"You have nothing, you have no chance... do whatever you can; you need to find a way to cross paths."
