SM
Arsenal vs. Juventus: 5 hrs 29 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data

Mercedes set for 2026 seat 'shootout' between Russell and Antonelli

:Headline: Mercedes set for 2026 seat 'shootout' between Russell and Antonelli:
The 2025 Formula 1 season is shaping up to be a decisive battle for a seat at Mercedes, with George Russell and new rookie Kimi Antonelli potentially vying for a single spot.
Sports Mole

The 2025 Formula 1 season is shaping up to be a decisive battle for a seat at Mercedes, with George Russell and new rookie Kimi Antonelli potentially vying for a single spot.

Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, officially confirmed on Saturday that Antonelli will replace Lewis Hamilton, who is moving to Ferrari next year. However, despite the 18-year-old Italian being Wolff's long-term protégé, he has only been promised a single season—2025—in the Mercedes car.

The reason for this is that Wolff is keeping a seat open for Max Verstappen, potentially for 2026.

Like Antonelli, Russell's contract also expires at the end of 2025.

"All of our focus in the team is on George and Kimi," Wolff emphasized at Monza.

"There is no discussion, no doubt, about what we are doing for 2026, because we are talking about 2024 and 2025. If we start flirting with another driver, the drivers in our team will know about it first because I always advocate openness with my employees."

Wolff seems to be taking a dual approach—expressing commitment to Russell and Antonelli while clearly considering Verstappen for 2026.

He acknowledged that both Antonelli and Russell are only secured through 2025.

"We always have very short contracts because it's a pressure vessel," the Austrian explained. "Merciless performance is expected," he told ORF. "I hope this is our lineup for many years."

"I'm 100 percent happy with the two of them."

However, former F1 driver Robert Doornbos is skeptical. "What Kimi has to realise, and George too, is that they are going to have a shootout with each other. Because in 2026 there has to be a seat available for Max," he commented to Ziggo Sport.

Despite this, Wolff reassures his drivers for 2025 that they should not be worried.

"These two drivers are the future," he stated. "They are Mercedes drivers and they will remain so, which is why we have signed long-term contracts with both of them."

"It gets complicated when it comes to options and so on, so there is obviously pressure on them, but at Mercedes, it has always been the case that there is high pressure. But right now we as a team want to rely on these two drivers."

"With Lewis, we recently had an agreement for one year plus a further one year as an option, but the most important thing now is that we see how George and Kimi are doing, and at the moment I see no reason not to give them the confidence to move forward together."

"We will clarify between ourselves what this means for the contract terms," Wolff added. "But we would not have made this choice of drivers if we were not absolutely convinced that they were the best choice for Mercedes." body check tags ::

amp_article__551949 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2024-09-02 07:36:47:
html db last update - 2024-09-02 07:36:47 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html

Click here for more stories about George Russell

Click here for more stories about Mercedes

Share this article now:
KA
Read Next:
Antonelli crash could explain 2025 announcement delay
>


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Read more about George Russell Toto Wolff Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Robert Doornbos Formula 1
Follow @SportsMole for the latest breaking news stories, and follow @sm_headlines to get every headline from Sports Mole
Recommended Next on SM
Antonelli crash could explain 2025 announcement delay
"Arsenal have got people in mind" - When could Edu's replacement be hired?
Not again! Chelsea boss Maresca reveals new injury to James ahead of Leicester game

Page options

Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City117222213923
3Chelsea115422113819
4Arsenal115421812619
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest115421510519
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton115421915419
7Fulham115331613318
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
9Aston Villa115331717018
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1151523131016
11Brentford115152222016
12Bournemouth114341515015
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Leicester CityLeicester112451421-710
16Everton112451017-710
17Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
18Crystal Palace11146815-77
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves111371627-116
20Southampton11119721-144
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Preview: Leicester vs. Chelsea - prediction, team news, lineups

NEW

1

PL

Preview: Arsenal vs. Nott'm Forest - prediction, team news, lineups

2

PA

Preview: Sheff Weds vs. Cardiff - prediction, team news, lineups

NEW

3

PS

'I don't know why': Maresca fires back at perception of one aspect of Chelsea play

NEW

4

'D

Preview: Man City vs. Spurs - prediction, team news, lineups

5

PM

Man United 'planning stunning swap deal' for Inter's prolific striker Martinez

NEW

6

MU

James blow, Palmer decision, Lavia to start? Chelsea predicted XI against Leicester

NEW

7

JB

Sporting 'bracing themselves' for Man United bid for £83m star

NEW

8

S'

Saka decision, who replaces White? Predicted Arsenal XI against Forest

9

SD

Yoro debut? Shaw, Mainoo to return? Man United injury news vs. Ipswich

10

YD


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .