Kimi Antonelli's feelings on Max Verstappen replacing George Russell as Mercedes team-mate

Kimi Antonelli has confessed that it is 'difficult to say' whether or not he would be comfortable going up against Max Verstappen at Mercedes next season. The Italian is currently paired with George Russell, but his future with the Silver Arrows is now in doubt. When Antonelli was promoted from Mercedes' junior stables into the F1 team, he was handed a one-year contract. Now, despite already having his first Grand Prix podium under his belt, his future is up in the air.

The same goes for team-mate Russell, who won in Montreal just two race weekends ago. The unusual situation at Mercedes revolves around Verstappen's availability. With Red Bull struggling to develop the RB21 and a critical regulation change approaching, the Dutchman is assessing his options as he looks to lock down championship-calibre machinery for 2026 and beyond.

As things stand, the conversation has largely revolved around swapping Russell out for Verstappen, with Antonelli likely to be afforded more time after a promising rookie campaign. Asked if he would be comfortable with an intra-team fight against the four-time world champion, the teenager was cautious.

"Difficult to say," he said when asked if he was ready. "I have to say that George has already shown how strong he is. Max could be a further step up. So, this year I'm trying to gain as much experience as possible."

If Wolff opted to replace Antonelli with Verstappen, the 18-year-old would be in a difficult spot. He could follow in Valtteri Bottas' footsteps and move into the background at Brackley in a test and reserve role, or look to another F1 squad for a race seat.

For the latest breaking stories and headlines, sign up to our Daily Express F1 newsletter, or join our WhatsApp community here.

However, Antonelli insists that his attention is 100 per cent focused on his current employers. "Do I talk to other teams? No, no, no," he said ahead of the British Grand Prix. "You know, I got this opportunity from Mercedes, and there are no talks going on with anyone else.

"I'm very happy with where I am now, and I'm also confident that the team is happy with me and with what they expect from me. So in my case, I just have to do my best now, limit the mistakes as much as possible, and try to get the most out of it. But I know the team has a lot of confidence in me, so I'm actually not worried."

However, there is no guarantee that Verstappen will view Mercedes as his best destination for 2026. The 27-year-old could stay put and weather the storm at Milton Keynes, giving him an opportunity to observe which teams nail the new technical regulations before looking more carefully at his whereabouts for 2027.