Mercedes driver provides update on future as Verstappen replacement rumours swirl

Kimi Antonelli has suggested that Mercedes are piecing together a plan for the future, as he and George Russell's long-term career paths remain unclear.

Both Antonelli and Russell are out of contract at the end of this season, and their seats within the team for the 2026 regulation changes are still not safe.

That's because of rumours linking four-time world champion Max Verstappen with a stunning switch to Mercedes, after both Russell and Toto Wolff confirmed at the British Grand Prix that talks had taken place of that nature.

The assumption is that it would be Russell who would make way for the Dutchman, due to their fierce rivalry that has developed in recent months, and because of Antonelli's stunning rookie season.

Now, Antonelli has issued a confident statement about his future with the Brackley outfit, as the 18-year-old looks for his second contract in F1.

"Obviously, there’s a lot going on, but I’m sure that the team is doing their best to provide the best for the future," Antonelli said via PlanetF1.

"They’re not looking only for next year, but they’re looking as well for the future. So obviously there’s a lot going on, but a lot of talks, but my goal is just to try and do my best, no matter what."

Who will drive for Mercedes in 2026?

The F1 world is waiting with bated breath for a definitive statement on where Verstappen will drive in 2026, as that could send the F1 driver market into overdrive.

Red Bull's brutal sacking of long-time team principal Christian Horner last week has created even more noise around the Red Bull team, and one of Laurent Mekies' first jobs as new team principal will be to convince Verstappen that they can still provide him with a car capable of challenging for championships.

Should Verstappen complete a switch to Mercedes, Russell's signature would be hotly contested between a few different teams, including Red Bull themselves, as well as the likes of Aston Martin and new outfit Cadillac.

Antonelli will hope that, whoever his team-mate is, he has done enough to stay at Mercedes for many more years to come.

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