Frank admission from Mercedes team principal comes as George Russell goes on holiday and says “there’s no time pressure” over 2026 contract

Toto Wolff has declared that George Russell was “the stronger driver” at Mercedes in Lewis Hamilton’s final season with the team. Last year, Russell comprehensively beat Hamilton in qualifying over a full-season with a head-to-head score of 19-5, and also beat the seven-time world champion in the championship for the second time in three years.

Those remarks opened the door to speculation over Hamilton’s future, a doorway former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone was more than happy to walk through. Speaking with The Daily Mail, Ecclestone made the case that Hamilton is “tired,” and that “he should stop now.”