Ralf Schumacher has lobbed a fresh grenade into Mercedes’ already delicate contract saga, suggesting George Russell no longer wants Toto Wolff in his ear as an advisor.
Speaking after the Singapore Grand Prix, Schumacher said he sensed “unrest” between driver and team during the Marina Bay weekend and believes a key agreement was struck behind the scenes. The kicker, per his paddock chatter: Russell could move forward without Wolff in any advisory capacity, even as talks over a new Mercedes deal grind on.
It’s a spicy angle, and it lands at a sensitive moment. Russell’s 2025 has been sharp — wins in Canada and Singapore tell their own story — yet he remains out of contract at season’s end. The internal dynamics have been complicated by Mercedes’ earlier flirtation with Max Verstappen, which Russell himself pointed to over the summer when asked about his future. Verstappen reaffirmed his Red Bull commitment long ago, but the contract fog around Russell hasn’t lifted.
Schumacher, speaking on Sky Germany’s Backstage Boxengasse, connected a few dots from the Singapore paddock. He noted Wolff cancelled a media slot at short notice after qualifying, then later came on air to insist “both drivers are definitely with Mercedes.” To Schumacher, that smelled like live negotiations. “George wasn’t in the best mood,” he said, adding he felt an agreement crystallised on the Saturday.
What that agreement covers is the intriguing bit. Russell’s situation is unusual by modern F1 standards. He’s managed day-to-day by Harry Soden, yet as a Mercedes junior graduate his career has also been overseen by the team and its principal. Most top drivers keep their management entirely external to the outfit that pays their salary. If Schumacher’s right and Russell wants to remove Wolff from any advisory role, it would tidy up a perceived conflict of interest and give the Briton cleaner lines of representation.
The motivation, according to Schumacher’s read, is emotional as much as practical. He believes Russell “suffered” during the period Mercedes publicly courted Verstappen, feeling nudged to one side. That’s credible human stuff, even if the outside optics between Russell and Wolff have stayed polished.
Publicly, there’s been zero rancour. Wolff has been effusive about Russell’s form this year and doubled down after Singapore, where Russell soaked up pressure and delivered a clean, controlled win. Wolff referenced the painful memory of Singapore 2023 — when Russell crashed late while chasing victory — to underline how much has changed.
“We’ve seen George have those moments in the past, but not recently,” Wolff said. “That’s the step he’s made this year. He was in control, building the gap, managing it when Max was closer. He’s been formidable. I haven’t seen mistakes.”
On the contract, Wolff’s line was classic Mercedes: calm, non-committal, and designed to slow the narrative. “Good things take a while,” he said, framing the holdup as detail work rather than a dispute over big-ticket items.
Still, the detail matters here. If Russell is pushing to disentangle his personal management from Wolff’s influence, that’s a structural change with ripple effects. It wouldn’t alter the pecking order at Brackley — Russell is the man in the seat and driving like it — but it would redraw the boundaries between team and driver camp at a time when autonomy across the grid is back in vogue. Drivers increasingly want to control their contracts, sponsors, and career arcs without the awkwardness of a team boss wearing two hats.
None of this means Wolff and Russell are at odds on the pit wall. Results are smoothing plenty of edges. But the longer the new deal sits unsigned, the more oxygen there is for speculation. And Schumacher’s not the type to waste a good rumor.
Mercedes, for its part, has reason to keep the temperature down while it hammers out 2026 details amid new rules and fresh engine regs. Russell’s wins have restored a sense of momentum, and the team’s public stance is that both current drivers are part of that picture. If there’s been a handshake in Singapore, as Schumacher suggests, the announcement clock is ticking.
Until then, the whispers will hum: Russell wants independence, Wolff wants clarity, Mercedes wants stability. And everyone wants the pen to finally hit paper.
