As the Formula 1 circus rolls into another high-stakes weekend, Mercedes has dropped fresh hints on their driver plans for 2026 and beyond. Team principal Toto Wolff confirmed that talks with George Russell are progressing smoothly, with the Briton’s current deal set to expire at the end of 2025. Russell, who’s been a steady force alongside the incoming Kimi Antonelli next season, could lock in an extension soon, especially after his consistent points hauls this year.
Wolff also touched on Lewis Hamilton’s shock move to Ferrari for 2025, calling it a “natural evolution” but stressing Mercedes’ focus on youth. Antonelli, the 18-year-old Italian prodigy stepping up from Formula 2, is already turning heads in testing, and Wolff hinted at long-term commitments to build around him.
Shifting gears, Nico Hulkenberg’s surprise podium at the last race has everyone buzzing. The veteran German, now with Audi (set to take over Sauber in 2026), climbed to third in a chaotic wet-dry thriller, his first top-three finish since 2013. At 37, Hulkenberg shrugged off retirement talk, saying the result “reignited the fire” and proved he can still mix it with the front-runners.
Elsewhere, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen remains the man to beat, eyeing his fifth straight title, while Ferrari adapts to Hamilton’s arrival alongside Charles Leclerc. McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are pushing hard, and Aston Martin’s lineup with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll adds intrigue. Keep an eye on the midfield scrap—Haas, with Hulkenberg’s boost, might just upset the order again.
