George Russell holidays on the scene of Toto Wolff-Max Verstappen 'assembly'

George Russell curiously spent the summer season break holidaying in Sardinia, the identical island the place Mercedes Components 1 workforce principal Toto Wolff was reportedly assembly Pink Bull rival Max Verstappen.

The alleged assembly between Wolff and Verstappen passed off on a yacht within the Mediterranean final month, shortly after Christian Horner’s departure as Pink Bull workforce principal.

The alleged assembly sparked contemporary rumours concerning the four-time world champion breaking his contract with Pink Bull to hitch Mercedes subsequent yr and triggering a significant silly-season driver shuffle.

On the time, Wolff acknowledged he and Verstappen had been in Sardinia on the identical time however stopped wanting confirming they had been holidaying collectively.

“What’s new is that individuals are doing photograph collages with aeroplanes! We’ve by no means had that earlier than,” Wolff mentioned at the moment.

“However for those who spend your holidays shut to one another, it doesn’t imply that you’re going to work collectively in Components 1.

“We have now all the time gotten alongside nicely and, by likelihood, we prefer to spend our holidays on the identical locations.” 

Sardinia the vacation of option to land a Mercedes F1 contract?

In the end, Verstappen dedicated to Pink Bull for the 2026 season after the three-weekend summer season break, ending any short-term doubts about his future.

Now, lower than a month later, Russell has visited the identical island for his personal mid-season trip. Posting footage together with his accomplice Carmen Montero Mundt on Instagram, he wrote: “Lacking racing, having fun with holidays.” 

He returned to Monaco on Monday with one other put up: “Holidays over. Again on the grind.”

If Mercedes had managed to lure Verstappen away from Pink Bull, both Russell or rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli would have been on the chopping block for 2026. 

Regardless of a powerful season that features a Canadian Grand Prix win, Russell has but to be supplied a contract for F1’s new period beginning subsequent yr.

When hypothesis about Verstappen’s potential Mercedes swap was at its peak, Russell insisted his seat was protected, saying any adjustments would come on the opposite aspect of the storage. 

Wolff has since indicated that each Russell and Antonelli are anticipated to stay with Mercedes in 2026, although it is unclear when a deal may very well be reached.

After claiming a podium final outing on the F1 Hungarian Grand Prix, Russell insisted that his precedence was a vacation – not dashing into signing a Mercedes contract.

“Truthfully, I simply need to have a relaxation, recharge, come again stronger,” he mentioned. 

“There isn’t a time strain both means. It’ll occur when it occurs. It’s ‘when’ not ‘if’.

“I’m 27 now, I’ve been with the workforce for 4 years, subsequent yr could be my fifth. 

“We need to construct the connection collectively but it surely’s acquired to be proper. 

“I don’t need to rush it, I’ve waited 12 months so I gained’t rush it over two weeks.”