Kimi Antonelli has faced some unexpected questions over his Formula 1 future during his first season at Mercedes. These were tied to the availability of world champion Max Verstappen.<\/p>\n
Much of the noise around Antonelli<\/a> has been pure speculation, but his recent struggles on track have only heightened it. Since scoring his first F1 podium in Canada, he\u2019s crashed out of two races, been eliminated from qualifying three times and scored a solitary point.<\/p>\n Some feel that Antonelli should have begun his career at Williams<\/a>, Mercedes\u2019 engine customers, like George Russell. Despite moments of brilliance like the Montreal podium or Miami Sprint pole, they feel he hasn\u2019t proven his readiness for a top F1 seat.<\/p>\n RACEQRAustria9thDNFGreat Britain10thDNFBelgium Sprint20th17thBelgium19th16thHungary15th10thKimi Antonelli\u2019s results since his first F1 podium<\/p>\n There were some murmurs that Wolff could loan Antonelli to Alpine<\/a>, who are joining the Mercedes stable next year. But with Verstappen recently committing to Red Bull for 2026 despite holding talks with Wolff, the threat has receded.<\/p>\n Kimi Antonelli won\u2019t change Toto Wolff\u2019s \u2018glass half empty\u2019 approach at Mercedes<\/p>\n Antonelli is now expected to receive an extension, having only signed for a single season when he replaced Lewis Hamilton. But the structure of that contract will be telling.<\/p>\n Indeed, Antonelli could sign a short-term deal<\/a> so Wolff has the option to sign Verstappen for 2027, should he become available. Russell has more than tripled his points tally this year (172 vs 54). <\/p>\n Verstappen is set to be on the market<\/a> next year even though his contract runs until the end of 2028. Red Bull have agreed to give him control of his future in exchange for his show of faith.<\/p>\n According to Formula.hu<\/a>, Wolff gave a \u2018mysterious\u2019 answer about his teenage driver in a one-to-one interview. Antonelli has been called the next Max Verstappen<\/a>, but this is what the team principal said when asked if Mercedes were nurturing a great champion:<\/p>\n \u201cIn my personal life I\u2019m very happy, in my professional life, I\u2019m always sceptical and grumpy. That\u2019s never going to change. <\/p>\n \u201cBecause I\u2019m always a pessimist, the glass is always half empty, never half full. But I think Kimi and I are on a very good path towards the future.\u201d<\/p>\n Mercedes have asked Kimi Antonelli to do something no driver has ever done<\/p>\n Wolff says he hasn\u2019t been at all surprised by how Antonelli\u2019s first season has played out. Everything is going \u2018completely according to plan\u2019 at Brackley. <\/p>\n He pointed out that this is the first time in F1 history that a driver so young has debuted in a race-winning car. Verstappen<\/a> and Lance Stroll were both younger than Antonelli when they started out.<\/p>\n However, the Dutchman spent a year developing at Toro Rosso, while Stroll also began his career at a midfield outfit in Williams. <\/p>\n