Wolff explains Russell contract situation

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has addressed the swirling speculation around George Russell's contract and potential talks with Max Verstappen, stating "everything is normal" regarding Russell's future. While acknowledging that "conversations" with top drivers like Verstappen are a natural part of the "silly season," Wolff reaffirmed Mercedes' strong commitment to Russell, calling him a "race winner" and a long-time junior. Russell himself expressed focus on performance over contract urgency, understanding the team's need to explore options to return to the top. Wolff emphasized transparency within the team and expressed no issue with Russell's candid remarks, suggesting that a pairing of Russell and Verstappen, despite their on-track history, is not out of the question for Mercedes' future line-up.