George Russell jokes about backup career if Mercedes F1 contract talks fail

George Russell has joked he could do a nude calendar if he fails to secure an F1 seat for 2026.

The Briton is the only high-profile driver without a contract for next season despite his impressive start to the 2025 F1 season.

A contract extension with Mercedes is widely expected but the longer a deal goes unsigned, the more speculation surrounding Russell’s future ramps up.

Russell has stated his desire to remain with Mercedes, who have a long-held interest in poaching Max Verstappen from Red Bull.

Recent comments from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff have indicated that Verstappen is no longer on the team’s radar, but Russell has still not been handed a fresh contract.

It has recently emerged that Russell has become a shock target for Aston Martin.

Following his victory at the Canadian Grand Prix, Russell joked that he has a backup career in the works.

Russell to take inspiration from Bottas?

“We have this crazy German who's living in Los Angeles who has rejoined us this weekend,” Russell said, referring to German photographer Paul Ripke, who previously worked with Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes.

“He's a friend of Valtteri's and is probably an inspiration for Valtteri's nude calendars and the mullet and all of this stuff,” Russell added.

“He’s in the room with us today, and he’s the one who said, ‘If I win, we need to jump in the lake.”

Verstappen interjected to suggest that Russell “should do the calendar”, to which the Mercedes driver quipped: “Well, I’m considering the calendar.

"You know? If I don’t have a contract next year, I need to bring the calendar out to bring in the income.”

After Russell claimed pole position in Montreal, Wolff hinted that a new contract with Mercedes would be finalised soon.

"He's giving us all the reasons to do that quickly," Wolff told Sky Sports F1. "We know what he's capable of doing and he has been leading this team now since a while. He has the pace and the right attitude.

"He's been a Mercedes junior [for] such a long time, and we are on track in doing what we've always planned."