George Russell is potentially just weeks away from learning whether he will be dropped by Mercedes to make room for Max Verstappen for the F1 2026 championship.

The Briton is out of contract with the Brackley squad at the end of this season, and Toto Wolff is weighing his options for his F1 2026 line-up. But what options does Russell have if he is replaced? They’re limited, to say the least.

George Russell limited options for F1 2026

Many of the Formula 1 teams have their drivers signed for next season as they want stability heading into Formula 1’s all-new regulation cycle.

Barring a shock retirement or sudden change of heart, and the legal wrangling that goes with that, McLaren, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Haas, Williams and Sauber are all closed to Russell.

So too is Racing Bulls, as their primary objective is blooding junior drivers for Red Bull.

Russell’s options are sorely limited.

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Cadillac: The least likely

But there is a new avenue that’s opening next season as the grid will increase from 20 to 22 drivers following the confirmation that Cadillac has been accepted as the sport’s 11th team.

However, the American outfit, which will be powered by Ferrari, needs at least six seats to make room for all the drivers being mentioned on their “quite long” list.

Russell would have to see off challenges from Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, who are the favourites to join the General Motors-backed team, while Zhou Guanyu and Mick Schumacher are also in conversation with team principal Graeme Lowdon, as is Jack Doohan.

Cadillac is an intriguing option, but in the midst of F1 2026’s uncertainty, it is without a doubt the team with the biggest number of questions as they break through onto the Formula 1 grid.

Although Cadillac has racing pedigree, Formula 1 is a different beast. The team, though, couldn’t be arriving at a better time as all 11 outfits start from zero next season – Cadillac’s zero is just a little less.

Joining Cadillac would be like turning the clock back on Russell’s Formula 1 career, with podiums, race wins and World titles highly unlikely unless Cadillac find that silver bullet that Toto Wolff says doesn’t exist.

Alpine: Maybe, maybe not

Alpine’s second seat is doing a bit of a Red Bull this season as, having already changed hands once, it reportedly could do so again before the season is over.

Alpine signed Jack Doohan for the F1 2025 season but even before his first race, there were rumours that he was on the clock. Two big crashes and points-less races saw the Australian dropped after the Miami Grand Prix but his replacement, Franco Colapinto, hasn’t done much better.

Reports claim Valtteri Bottas is in the frame to replace the Argentine before the end of the championship, with conversations extending to 2026. That, should it come to pass, would close the door to Russell.

But as with Cadillac, joining Alpine means a step back from where he is today, a 2025 race winner, fighting for a spot on the season’s podium.

Alpine was last on the Constructors’ log, 10 points down on Haas, and signs of encouragement have been few and far between.

There is one big upside for next season, though. The team will be powered by Mercedes engines, and Russell knows those rather well.

The best of the bad options.

Red Bull: Depends on Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen to Mercedes. George Russell to Red Bull.

It’s the straight swap that could, and should, take place if Verstappen’s rumoured move comes to pass.

Heavily linked to Mercedes after Russell revealed there were “ongoing” conversations between Verstappen and Wolff, F1’s rumour mill took off with claims that Verstappen had said “yes” to Wolff’s offer and that the Mercedes board had given it the “green light”.

That would leave Red Bull without a lead driver as, let’s be honest, neither 2025 drivers Yuki Tsunoda nor Liam Lawson have shown they’re up for the challenge. And Isack Hadjar is at the very beginning of his F1 career, promising as it looks.

The team will need someone to take the reins, a proven race winner who isn’t afraid to get his elbows out on track but who has progressed past silly rookie errors.

Russell would be the man for the job. Not only is he the best option for Red Bull, but the Milton Keynes squad is his best bet to continue on his road towards a Formula 1 title challenge.

It is, of course, in the hands of Max Verstappen.

Mercedes: The best, and most likely, option

Of course, all of the above is based on Russell losing his Mercedes race seat to Verstappen. That’s not a guarantee.

As things stand today, Verstappen would have to buy out his Red Bull contract as the terms of his exit clause – lower than fourth after the Hungarian Grand Prix – won’t be met.

But why would he want to? Although Red Bull are in the midst of a performance dip, Verstappen has won 60 Grands Prix and four World titles with the team.

It’s a team that’s his, and his alone, with no one able to race the RB F1 cars like he can. Team Verstappen also won the Christian Horner civil war.

And for that matter, why would Wolff want to drop Russell? The Briton is the only driver outside of McLaren and Verstappen who has won a Grand Prix this season and he sits P4 in the Drivers’ standings, only nine points down on the Dutchman.

Russell, who came through the ranks as a Mercedes junior, has stepped up as the Brackley squad’s team leader, driving the team forward as they take on Ferrari in the battle to finish second in the Constructors’ Championship.

The driver and Mercedes know each other well having been together for the past four years. Why would Mercedes risk that stability when 2026 is already shrouded in so much uncertainty?

Russell’s best option for F1 2026 is a new Mercedes contract.

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