Mercedes signs contract extension with British driver until the end of the 2025 F1 season: Reports

It is being widely reported that Mercedes have signed a contract extension with George Russell until the end of the 2025 season.

While fans and experts are expecting news about Lewis Hamilton and his contract situation with the team, the former world champions have solidified the future of one of their drivers, as per Motorsport.Es.

Russell, who has been part of the Mercedes family since 2016, joined the German team at the beginning of the 2022 season after three years with the Williams F1 team. He initially signed his contract with the team on September 7th, 2021, in a 'long-term' deal.

The Brit impressed everyone with his performance throughout last season. He notched up one position and one win for the team and finished ahead of his seven-time world champion teammate.

By extending his contract, Mercedes have showcased their trust in him to lead the team in the future after the imminent departure of Lewis Hamilton.

"I had a lot of confidence that I could move forward from P12 and thought that P5 or P6 was achievable " - Mercedes driver George Russell

George Russell had an outstanding Spanish GP, finishing P3 after starting from P12 to complete a double podium for the Mercedes F1 team.

As per F1.com, he said:

"It was a pretty good race today! This morning, I had a lot of confidence that I could move forward from P12 and thought that P5 or P6 was achievable. After a good start, our pace was just there from the very beginning. We knew after Friday that we had a good race pace, but you can never be 100 percent sure if it will translate to the Grand Prix. I was really pleased it did, I was able to make some good overtakes and bring it home on the podium."

Russell added:

"This result highlights all the hard work and efforts that have gone on at the factory to bring these upgrades. We had a strong race here last year, so the next couple of races will be key to see if we can consistently produce results like this and close the gap to Red Bull."

It will be fascinating to see how Mercedes progress in their contract negotiation with Lewis Hamilton after reportedly extending Russell's deal. Having just brought in a variety of upgrades to the W14 that seems to have payed dividends in Spain, the German outfit will be hoping it can compete with Ferrari for second place in the Constructor Standings.