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George Russell believes he “won’t be going anywhere” and is set to have a new contract confirmed with Mercedes as he played down suggestions that he could lose his seat to Max Verstappen.
As he prepared for this weekend’s British Grand Prix, Russell, whose contract with Mercedes has yet to be renewed, said he thought the chances of him not being with the team next season were “exceptionally low”. Verstappen, in turn, flatly refused to comment on the matter.
The speculation came on a day when there was more flux at the top of the sport as a challenge emerged to the authority of the president of the FIA, Mohammed ben Sulayem, with the news that the former FIA steward Tim Mayer will stand against the president in elections later this year.
On Wednesday there were unconfirmed reports that Verstappen’s talks with Mercedes have intensified and that a deal was close to being confirmed. However, it is understood this remains entirely speculation and that Mercedes are still conducting consideration of advances made toward them from the Verstappen camp.
Russell was considered the more likely candidate to lose his seat over his teammate Kimi Antonelli were a deal to be done with Verstappen, but at Silverstone the Briton was bullish about his position. “I’ve been focused on my side, I am loyal to Mercedes, so at the end of the day, everything will work itself out,” he said. “And the likelihood I’m not at Mercedes next year, I think is exceptionally low.
“For me it’s nothing to worry about as I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere and whoever my teammate is doesn’t concern me either, so I’ll just focus on the driving. There’s a lot of conversations behind the scenes that are not public and I know where their [Mercedes’s] loyalty lies. I’m performing better than ever, it’s as simple as that, performance speaks for everything.”
Mercedes are unlikely to announce any decision until the summer break after the Hungarian Grand Prix on 3 August, which is the point when potential exit clauses in Verstappen’s contract would become applicable. The Dutchman did not deny the talks were taking place but declined to make any further comment.
It also became clear on Thursday at Silverstone that Mayer will announce his candidacy to oppose Ben Sulayem for the FIA presidency on Friday morning in a press conference. The 59-year-old American had been a long-serving FIA steward, well-liked and respected until he was sacked last November after a dispute between the governing body and the organisers of the US GP, for whom Mayer was working in an independent capacity.
Mayer claimed the dismissal had taken place because Ben Sulayem had personally taken umbrage at him and he was highly critical of how it had been handled. “In spite of the matter being resolved quietly and amicably, he’s still upset and decided to fire me,” he said. “After 15 years of volunteering my time as a steward, a decade teaching other stewards and hundreds of hours volunteering in other roles, I got a text from one of his assistants.”
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The FIA denied he had been told by text message.
Mayer, the son of the McLaren co-founder Teddy Mayer, has enjoyed senior roles in Champ Car, the International Motor Sports Association and the American Le Mans Series and was a chair of the stewards for the FIA.
His standing presents a credible threat to Ben Sulayem’s position. The Emirati has overseen four years of highly controversial governance at the FIA but has already announced his intention to stand for re-election, the voting for which will take place on 12 December.
It is understood Mayer has already has the requisite selection of senior figures who would join him in key positions, which is required by any candidate, and now faces the serious task of winning support from the motor sport associations that will decide the vote in December.
