Toto Wolff has pointed out that George Russell’s status as a “Mercedes-grown talent” is a key consideration in deciding whether the British driver will be handed a new F1 deal.

Russell’s Mercedes contract expires 🐻at the end of 2025, leaving him in a precarious pos🎐ition.

Wolff has been open about his interest in signing 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Max Verstappen.

He publicly flirted with the Dutchman throughout last year as he sought a replacement for 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Lewis Hamilton.

Red Bull’s decli💧ne in form might mean that Verstap𒈔pen is tempted to look elsewhere.

Helmut Marko has hinted t♍hat “performance clauses” ex🅰ist in Verstappen’s F1 contract.

However, Wolff was keen to point out that Russell’s participation in the Mercedes junior programme is “something to be proud of,” potentially 🐼suggesting that they will 𓃲remain loyal to one of their own drivers.

“George is a Mercedes driver, so we love havingཧ in the team,” Wolff said after the race in China.

“He’s a junior driver and a Mercedes-grown🌄 talent. That’s something to be proud o𝓡f, and this is where my consideration goes.”

Wolff heaps praise on “10 out of 10” Russell

Since the start of last year, Russell has been one of F1’s most consiste𓂃nt performers.

Russell dismantled Hamilton in the seven-time world champion’s fina🀅l year with the team.

Russell beat Hamilton 20-4 i🎃n the qualifying head-to-head.

The former Williams driver has continued his impressive form i൩n 2025,꧟ starting the year strongly with back-to-back podiums.

Wolff heaped praisꦛe on Russell after his Chinese ဣGP performance.

“Geor💛ge is a warrior in the car and outside of 🐬the car,” Wolff said. “And that was only the beginning of the praise he shared for his driver.

“I never give 10 out of 10 because I think there is always better,” Wolff 🍸said. “We haven’t seen the perfect race.

“But consider𒉰ing the circumstances that George had today, it is a 10 out of 10 because he extracted the maximum of this car, the tyres, the strategy, and it was a brilliant drive.”

“Little was said of George,” he added. “I always said that that’s not right, because he🌠’s one of the top drivers out there. If y𝓀ou want me to name three that

“I consider to be the top, he’s absolutely among those three, if not top two. And maybe o♈n his way to top one.”