SILVERSTONE, England (AP) — George Russell says there's an “exceptionally low” chance he’ll leave Mercedes next year, even after he claimed the team was holding talks with Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen.
Speaking ahead of the British Grand Prix, Russell said he was confident of staying with Mercedes and argued that changing drivers would risk the team's competitiveness when sweeping rule changes come in 2026.
Russell caused a stir last week when he suggested to broadcaster Sky Sports that “conversations with the likes of Verstappen are ongoing” and were a reason why he had yet to renew his contract for 2026.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has not denied interest in four-time champion Verstappen. The Dutch driver himself has declined to comment on his future with Red Bull beyond 2025.
“I want to continue with Mercedes into the future," Russell said Thursday. “The fact is, Toto has never let me down. He’s always given me his word, but he’s also got to do what’s right for his team, which includes me, but it also includes the thousands of people who work for Mercedes.
“For me, it’s nothing to worry about because I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere, and whoever my teammate will be, it doesn’t concern me either. So, just focus on the driving.”
Russell added: “I am loyal to Mercedes. At the end of the day, everything will work itself out. And the likelihood I’m not at Mercedes next year, I think is exceptionally low.”
With “so many unknowns” about next year's rule changes, Russell said, “I think for us, from both sides, our best opportunity of winning is to continue as we are."
Russell is fourth in the F1 standings and took Mercedes' only win of the season at the Canadian Grand Prix last month. His Mercedes teammate is 18-year-old rookie Kimi Antonelli, who's had an impressive first season in F1.
Verstappen on Thursday said he had “nothing else to add” since last week in Austria, when he did not confirm he'd stay with Red Bull.
Verstappen also declined to comment on any interest from Mercedes or whether his contract — which runs through 2028 — includes performance-related clauses that could offer him a way out of Red Bull this year.
Verstappen did, however, rule out the possibility of taking a break from F1 to explore his interest in other racing series.
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands stands at the starting grd before the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix in Spielberg, Austria, Sunday, June 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos, Pool)
Mercedes driver George Russell of Britain speaks during a news conference at the Silverstone racetrack, ahead of the British Formula One Grand Prix, in Silverstone, England, Thursday, July 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Richard “Dick” Codey, a former acting governor of New Jersey and the longest serving legislator in the state's history, died Sunday. He was 79.
Codey’s wife, Mary Jo Codey, confirmed her husband’s death to The Associated Press.
“Gov. Richard J. Codey passed away peacefully this morning at home, surrounded by family, after a brief illness,” Codey's family wrote in a Facebook post on Codey's official page.
"Our family has lost a beloved husband, father and grandfather -- and New Jersey lost a remarkable public servant who touched the lives of all who knew him," the family said.
Known for his feisty, regular-guy persona, Codey was a staunch advocate of mental health awareness and care issues. The Democrat also championed legislation to ban smoking from indoor areas and sought more money for stem cell research.
Codey, the son of a northern New Jersey funeral home owner, entered the state Assembly in 1974 and served there until he was elected to the state Senate in 1982. He served as Senate president from 2002 to 2010.
Codey first served as acting governor for a brief time in 2002, after Christine Todd Whitman’s resignation to join President George W. Bush’s administration. He held the post again for 14 months after Gov. Jim McGreevey resigned in 2004.
At that time, New Jersey law mandated that the Senate president assume the governor’s role if a vacancy occurred, and that person would serve until the next election.
Codey routinely drew strong praise from residents in polls, and he gave serious consideration to seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2005. But he ultimately chose not to run when party leaders opted to back wealthy Wall Street executive Jon Corzine, who went on to win the office.
Codey would again become acting governor after Corzine was incapacitated in April 2007 due to serious injuries he suffered in a car accident. He held the post for nearly a month before Corzine resumed his duties.
After leaving the governor’s office, Codey returned to the Senate and also published a memoir that detailed his decades of public service, along with stories about his personal and family life.
“He lived his life with humility, compassion and a deep sense of responsibility to others,” his family wrote. “He made friends as easily with Presidents as he did with strangers in all-night diners.”
Codey and his wife often spoke candidly about her past struggles with postpartum depression, and that led to controversy in early 2005, when a talk radio host jokingly criticized Mary Jo and her mental health on the air.
Codey, who was at the radio station for something else, confronted the host and said he told him that he wished he could “take him outside.” But the host claimed Codey actually threatened to “take him out,” which Codey denied.
His wife told The Associated Press that Codey was willing to support her speaking out about postpartum depression, even if it cost him elected office.
“He was a really, really good guy,” Mary Jo Codey said. “He said, ‘If you want to do it, I don’t care if I get elected again.’”
Jack Brook contributed reporting from New Orleans.
FILE - New Jersey State Sen. and former Democratic Gov. Richard Codey is seen before New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy delivers his State of the State address to a joint session of the Legislature at the statehouse, in Trenton, N.J., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
