Brundle believes Russell shot himself in the foot: 'It'll hurt him later'
Max Verstappen’s took the chance to reaffirm his committment to Red Bull through 2026, and with that attention has now shifted to George Russell, the highest-profile driver still without a contract for next season. And while Russell insists performance is his only priority, Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle has sounded a word of caution.
Russell, speaking to media including GPblog at the Hungarian Grand Prix, admitted that after years of waiting for his shot at the very front, money is far from his main concern.
“I’m seven years into Formula 1 right now. I feel that I’m at my peak. I still feel that I’m getting stronger as a driver,” he said.
“I was maybe more anxious about getting a deal done maybe 12 months ago, than six months ago, ahead of 2026.
"But right now, I’ve sort of waited so long, I want to make sure it’s right. And it’s got to be right for the team. It’s got to be right for myself. Duration has to be right both ways.”
Russell went further, making headlines with his insistence that money is a small part of the equation.
“You’ve got to feel, have faith in the performance as well in future.
"Because, you know, I would pay to be a world champion. I would pay to fight for a world championship. And that’s where I am right now, and that is the priority for me.”
Brundle warns Russell after bold contract comments: “Don’t say you’ll pay”
That remark drew a wry response from Brundle, who managed David Coulthard during the Scot’s Formula 1 career.
Speaking on Sky Sports F1, Brundle admitted: “If I was managing George, I would have said, 'don’t say you’ll drive for nothing, or don’t say you’ll pay, please, because that’s going to come back and hurt us somewhere.' But I know the point he was trying to make.”
Brundle stressed that while performance is everything, certainty is just as important, especially with Verstappen no longer on the market.
“The cards have turned around, because suddenly George is far and away the best driver available in the world of Formula 1, who doesn’t have a contract next year.
"So now suddenly, he’s like, ‘I’m going to slow this down a little bit.’ That’s how I’m reading it anyway.”
However, GPblog understands that Mercedes will announce Russell's and Antonelli's extensions soon, with the Briton's being a multi-year deal.
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