The pot keeps getting stirred up regarding Max Verstappen and a potential move to Red Bull Racing鈥檚 rivals, Mercedes.
Mercedes ace George Russell has suggested his contract renewal talks with the team are being held up because the team is still keen to sign reigning F1 champion Verstappen.
The 27-year-old Briton, winner in Canada two weeks ago, is out of contract at the end of the season, while four-time champion Verstappen has a deal with Red Bull until 2028, subject to get-out clauses.
Russell told Sky Sports at the Austrian GP that Mercedes, currently second to McLaren in the Constructors鈥 Championship, wanted to return to the top.
And in order to be the best, you have to beat the best. Or, in the case of Mercedes currently, buy the best.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e going to be back on top, you need to make sure you鈥檝e got the best drivers, the best engineers, the best pit crew, and that鈥檚 what Mercedes is chasing,鈥 he said.
鈥淪o, it鈥檚 only normal that conversations with the likes of Verstappen are ongoing. But from my side, if I鈥檓 performing as I鈥檓 doing, what have I got to be concerned about? There are two seats in every Formula One team.鈥
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff made his interest in Verstappen clear last year as he sought a replacement for seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton 鈥 a spot that has been taken up by 18-year-old sensation Kimi Antonelli currently.
But Verstappen and Russell have had a series of clashes on and off the track over the past 12 months, thereby instilling doubt in the mind of Mercedes about pairing them together, should the opportunity arise.
Russell, though, reiterated that Wolff has assured him he was performing as well as anybody on the starting grid.
鈥淚 think there鈥檚 only one driver that you can debate in terms of performance 鈥 these are his words, these are not my words 鈥 so that鈥檚 why I have no concern about the future,鈥 he said.
鈥淏ut there are two seats at every team, and I guess he needs to think, who are those two drivers going to be for those two seats, and I guess that鈥檚 what the delay is.鈥
Verstappen, on the other hand, was reluctant to talk about his future when asked if he would be driving for Red Bull next year.
鈥淒o you want me to repeat what I said last year?鈥 It鈥檚 not really on my mind. Just driving well, trying to push the performance, and then we focus on next year.鈥
(with agency inputs)