George Russell insists his Mercedes seat was never under threat from Max Verstappen before the Dutchman signed a contract extension with Red Bull.

Verstappen had been linked with Mercedes since Lewis Hamilton announced his departure for Ferrari in February 2024. While Toto Wolff initially targeted Verstappen as a teammate, speculation later shifted to him replacing Russell alongside rising star Kimi Antonelli.

Following Red Bull's announcement that Verstappen has committed to the team until 2030, Russell downplayed the rumors, stating: "My seat never felt under threat, and I felt 100 per cent security with Toto and the team."

Lando Norris also commented on the situation, saying he would have welcomed Verstappen as a McLaren teammate and praised the champion's talent, though confirming nothing has changed with his current lineup.