George Russell suspects Toto Wolff has decided Kimi Antonelli’s future amid Max Verstappen links

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Uncertainty is swirling around the Mercedes futures of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli as both approach the final year of their contracts.

Russell has faced a flurry of questions at the British Grand Prix about his situation as speculation intensifies over potential changes to the Mercedes lineup. The focus sharpens further with increasing chatter that Mercedes could make a major move in the driver market.

READ MORE: Max Verstappen could be ‘using’ Mercedes’ interest to push Red Bull into meeting key demand

The situation is complicated by the fact Verstappen, despite being under contract until 2028, has a clause allowing him to leave based on his championship standing — and he currently sits third in the standings, 61 points adrift of Oscar Piastri.

Verstappen and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff have already opened lines of communication, with Wolff confirming that discussions took place during the Austrian Grand Prix. Reports suggest Verstappen has given the nod to join Mercedes, though specifics remain unclear — including which current driver would make way for him.

George Russell believes Toto Wolff will put him alongside Max Verstappen at Mercedes, not Kimi Antonelli

Some within Mercedes think that pairing Verstappen and Russell could lead to tension, considering the friction that has built up between them. Russell has raised these concerns with Wolff, though he remains confident that he would get the nod over Antonelli if Verstappen signs.

While Verstappen isn’t expected to move before 2027 — as he wants to see how the 2026 rule changes shake out — Wolff is thought to be open to waiting until Verstappen’s Red Bull contract naturally expires in 2028.

What could be the plan for Kimi Antonelli if he does leave Mercedes?

Antonelli, despite being just 18 and in his rookie F1 season, has already reached the podium and is showing rapid progress. He’s currently seventh in the standings after 11 races, raising eyebrows across the paddock.

One rumoured option under consideration is loaning Antonelli to Alpine, who are evaluating their lineup options for 2026 given the contract uncertainty of Franco Colapinto. Alternately, Mercedes might mirror the early career path of Fernando Alonso, who spent a year as a reserve driver before returning to a race seat.