Source: REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
[Saba Sports News] The F1 driver market has revealed another bombshell: George Russell’s contract with Mercedes includes a “Hamilton clause,” ensuring that Russell is on equal footing with Max Verstappen. Details obtained by British media show that if Mercedes were to sign Verstappen, they would need to pay Russell a staggering 100 million euros as an “equality status deposit,” otherwise it would trigger a contract termination clause. This contract signed in 2023 represents the “anti-superstar clause” unprecedented in Lewis Hamilton’s era. Previously, Russell told British media: “During Hamilton’s time, Mercedes never negotiated contracts before July.” Now, he has become one of the earliest drivers to secure his future. Data shows that this 26-year-old British driver has finished in the top five in five races this season, with a success rate of 68% in overtaking during the race, surpassing Hamilton’s performance at the same stage. More importantly, his agent cleverly set a “Verstappen clause”: any new recruit’s salary, technical authority, or PR resources must not exceed Russell’s.