While George Russell has earned praise from some quarters for his early 2025 showings, Ralf Schumacher believes the Mercedes driver needs to raise his game to lock in a new contract.
With rumours persisting that Toto Wolff might still be chasing Max Verstappen for 2026, Russell's lack of a contract extension stands out. The 27-year-old Briton has quietly impressed some after Lewis Hamilton's exit, with Wolff dubbing him 2025's "low-key hero" and saying he's performing "exactly how we knew he would".
Yet Schumacher, speaking to Sky Deutschland, highlighted Russell's minor but telling slip-ups at Suzuka.
"In the end, it was the Russell we've often described—the one who has great potential, including speed, but he simply makes mistakes," he said. "You have to look at it that way."
Schumacher noted that Russell squandered a strong qualifying lap in the first sector, costing him a better grid spot and result. "The car was there," the ex-F1 driver said.
"For (Kimi) Antonelli, it's still too early to expect as much, but Antonelli did a great job overall. In my opinion, if it stays like that, Russell won't be allowed to stay. He has to deliver more, because that's what ultimately makes a world champion."
He drew a stark contrast with Verstappen, who triumphed from pole at Suzuka in a lesser car.
"He simply brought a thing like that home flawlessly," Schumacher said of the Red Bull champion. "If Russell wants to keep his position at Mercedes, then he has to show Toto 'You are the one we need, the one who can fight for the championship, the one who gets the best out of the car'," he concluded.
