George Russell is more likely to stay with Mercedes next year than Max Verstappen is to join, the Formula One team's boss Toto Wolff said on Friday while confirming his interest for the future.
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Russell indicated on Thursday that Mercedes were talking to Verstappen about a move from Red Bull and suggested that was why an extension to his own contract beyond this season was taking time, although he was confident for the future.
"There is no delay in George's contract negotiations," Wolff told Sky Sports television at the Austrian Grand Prix, where Russell was fastest in first practice.
"It's pretty clear since a long time what our timings were and are, we've known each other for such a long time and so there is no such thing as a delay."
Wolff said it was a question of trying to understand what time framework Verstappen, a four times world champion who is contracted to Red Bull until 2028, was operating under and what his plans were.
"And that could be long into the future," he added.
"But that has no effect on us putting a signature on George's contract."
Russell said on Thursday that it was normal Mercedes would want to talk to Verstappen.
Asked if Russell, whose teammate is 18-year-old Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli, was more likely to be in the Mercedes than Verstappen next year, Wolff replied: "Yes."
"What we are trying to do in the team is to be transparent... you can either choose to hold things under wraps or like we have done in the last 10-12 years is put it out there and say 'this is the situation'," said Wolff.
"There is no such thing as saying 'we are going to sign Max'. This is so far away that it is not realistic. With George, we talk about everything."
Speaking to reporters earlier, Wolff said everything was normal and going to plan with Russell's contract talks.
He also did not rule out pairing Russell and Verstappen in future, despite their recent public feuding and on track clashes.
"I can imagine every line-up. I had Rosberg and Hamilton fighting for a world championship, so everything else afterwards is easy," said the Austrian.
"There's pros and cons of having two drivers fighting each other hard.
"We've seen examples where that functioned and other examples where it didn't."