"Surely Toto will still wait for Max Verstappen!": Fans react to Mercedes offering George Russell a contract extension 

F1 fans were left confused after reports emerged that Mercedes would offer George Russell a contract extension soon. The British driver has been metronomic in his start to the 2025 season and has arguably been one of the best drivers of the year with his consistent performances.

The three-time F1 race winner has secured three podiums from the four races and got his season-best P2 finish at the Bahrain GP last weekend. The Kings Lynn native was exceptional in his defense against Lando Norris despite dealing with gremlins in the W16 to bring home 18 points for the team.

As per Autosport, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has been impressed with Russell's performance and his role as team leader in the 2025 season and has shown interest in giving him a fresh contract. Russell is expected to nab a two-year contract extension that could see him earn $30m every year and make him one of the highest earners in the paddock.

F1 fans gave their reactions to reports of George Russell getting a contract extension on X, with one fan noting:

"This will only happen if Verstappen denies Mercedes! Surely Toto will still wait for Verstappen!"

"Toto wants Max! Stop being in denial!!"

"Lol…Toto will dump him for Max in a heartbeat if Max decides to leave Red Bull," said a fan.

Here are some more reactions:

"If Verstappen says yes to Mercedes this will look awkward if Mercedes renew Russell," claimed a fan.

"Not if Max fancies a drive in the Mercs!" wrote another.

"He’s on brand, he’s the right look for Mercedes, he’s a great driver with bags of potential, good teammate, doesn’t have a toxic entourage! Good fit in my opinion!" said another.

George Russell is currently P4 in the driver's standings with 63 points to his name and is six points behind Max Verstappen, who is a place ahead of him.

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Mercedes team boss applauds George Russell for his Bahrain GP podium

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff stated that George Russell securing a podium despite having to deal with multiple failures in the final few laps was "incredibly tough".

Speaking with GPBlog, the Austrian reflected on his charge, saying,

"To be honest, George managing the system while fending off Norris was just unbelievable. He secured us this podium. On top of that, taking the softs for such a long stint was also great — managing when needed and attacking when needed.

"If you haven’t driven a race car with brake-by-wire, it’s like a road car with power-assisted brakes. To suddenly lose that feedback and adjust corner by corner is incredibly tough." he added.

George Russell has been the lead Mercedes driver in the 2025 season and has helped the German team have a strong hold on P2 in the Constructors' Championship.