George Russell’s Unusual Contract Demand Immediately Rejected by Mercedes

George Russell has revealed that he made an unusual request during contract negotiations with Mercedes but was swiftly rejected.

Back in October 2025, Russell and Kimi Antonelli were confirmed as Mercedes' drivers for the 2026 Formula 1 season.

Russell, 27, is set to embark on his fifth campaign driving for the Silver Arrows, with teenager Antonelli retaining his seat after an impressive rookie season.

Speaking at the time, team boss Toto Wolff said: "We wanted to take our time, handle the negotiations properly and make sure everyone, on all sides, was happy. I'm pleased we have done that.

"George and Kimi have proved a strong pairing and we're excited to continue our journey together."

Although the specifics of the contracts were not made public, it was claimed that Russell had agreed upon a multi-year deal.

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Kimi Antonelli and George Russell will drive for Mercedes in 2026. Image: Getty

Speaking recently about the negotiations, the Brit stated that he made a request to get a Mercedes F1 car for his personal collection but was rejected by the team.

As per The Express, Russell said: "I would love to collect my own Formula One cars. But because of the cost cap, we only produce three or four monocoques per year. Twenty years ago, when unlimited testing was still allowed, each team built 15 to 20 chassis.

"These were then rotated regularly. I tried to get a Formula One car during my last contract negotiations. But unfortunately, I wasn't successful."

Russell went on to suggest ways of solving the issue.

He added: "I would like to see the teams find a way to produce monocoques outside of the budget cap. We have enough of the other parts. Each driver has five engines per year.

"I think Mercedes produces a total of 60 engines for each season. We also have plenty of rear wings – for high, medium, and low downforce. There are also enough front wings and underbodies. We have at least ten sets of all the other parts. But there are only three or four monocoques. Maybe I should talk to the FIA about that."

The 2026 F1 season will kick off in March with the Australian Grand Prix, taking place around Albert Park in Melbourne.