Volf: George's contract hasn't been extended yet, and that's okay.

      Following the sole practice session on the Belgian circuit, the best Mercedes driver was George Russell, who finished fourth. However, Kimi Antonelli, his young teammate, was not far behind, finishing sixth.

      "At the moment, it's difficult to draw any conclusions," commented Toto Wolff, team principal, on Sky Sports. "But both drivers didn't like working with the hard tires, which they will probably have to use on Sunday, although the medium tires look promising."

      "On Kimi's car, brakes locked up several times in some spots on the track, especially before the La Source turn and at the end of the long straight, but I don't think it's related to any real issue. We'll see."

      When Wolff was asked about the team lineup for next year, he responded in the same manner as the day before: "The most likely scenario is that the lineup will remain unchanged, although it's not 100% yet."

      It is quite logical that the head of the factory Mercedes team was asked to comment on Christian Horner's departure from Red Bull Racing, given that Wolff has had a complicated relationship with him historically.

      "In some sense, we will miss him," he replied. "But I don't think he's gone forever; he might return, but in a different role. Although I need to be cautious in my words, as he could move to FIA, and then I could face serious trouble."

      Horner was a complex figure, strict and holding quite radical views. This was good for the entertainment aspect of our sport, and in that sense, he will be missed. His achievements speak for themselves."

      At the same time, Wolff denied that Red Bull’s decision to part ways with Horner was influenced by public statements from the Mercedes boss about trying to poach Max Verstappen:

      "No, that's not the case. Perhaps behind the scenes, a lot of things were happening within Red Bull that we simply don't know about. As for attention to other drivers, as Mercedes team principal, I need to find out what Max plans to do in the coming years, not just in 2026."

      All this relates to a more distant future. For now, I want Kimi and George to stay at Mercedes. Everything else can be considered unrealistic. If we suppose that Russell and Verstappen end up as teammates, it would be a repeat of the Prost and Senna story.

      George's contract for the next season has not yet been confirmed, but this is quite normal. Every driver wants a faster car and more money. Although that's not the most important part of our negotiations with him... But I am quite optimistic and believe that during the summer break, Russell will sleep peacefully.