Steiner warns Mercedes will replace Russell if struggles persist into 2027

Guenther Steiner has issued a stark warning that Mercedes will move to replace George Russell if the British driver’s difficult 2026 season extends into 2027, with the former Haas team principal drawing a pointed comparison to Daniel Ricciardo’s career collapse at McLaren.

Russell entered the current campaign as the clear favourite at Mercedes, but team-mate Kimi Antonelli has since transformed the picture entirely. The Italian teenager became the youngest driver to lead the F1 standings after back-to-back victories at the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix, and has now accumulated nine wins in 2026. Heading into the Mexican Grand Prix, Antonelli leads Russell by 123 points, with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton a further point back in third — and only nine points separating second through fifth in the standings.

Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast, Steiner suggested Russell’s difficulties were rooted in confidence rather than machinery, and drew a direct parallel with Ricciardo’s decline after being outperformed by Lando Norris at McLaren. Ricciardo was released from his contract early at the end of 2022 and never regained his footing at the top level.

“I think it is more a Daniel Ricciardo situation than Lewis,” Steiner said. “I hope he can find his way back, because Daniel unfortunately didn’t really find his way back — it even got worse for him when he was let go by McLaren at the time. That basically destroyed him. But George having people around him who believe in him, like Toto, that will help.”

Steiner acknowledged that Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff’s continued support gives Russell a buffer that Ricciardo lacked, but made clear that institutional loyalty has its limits when a manufacturer’s championship is at stake.

“End of next year, if he’s in the same position as now, Mercedes — and it’s not a personal thing for Toto — Mercedes will be looking at what they need to do to be manufacturer world champion, because that is what they are here to do,” Steiner said. “If George doesn’t bring the performance, there will be changes. I’m not saying they are actively working for changes; they give him time. But if it doesn’t happen, they will make changes.”

Russell, 28, still holds second in the drivers’ standings, but the pressure from Hamilton and the drivers immediately behind him means his position is far from secure even in the short term.