Kimi Antonelli replacement emerges at Mercedes

Kimi Antonelli should be replaced at Mercedes if Toto Wolff wants to protect the youngster’s F1 career and self-confidence.

A single point in five grands prix. Torpedoing Max Verstappen in Austria and now Charles Leclerc at the Dutch Grand Prix. It is clear Antonelli still has a lot to learn.

In 2025, Antonelli failing to score points has little consequence, especially in a race when both Ferraris do not finish. However, if Mercedes are contending for the title in 2026, they are going to need a driver that can support George Russell.

At present, Antonelli is not that driver, and the more he comes under scrutiny, the more the pressure will ramp up and continue to prompt mistakes.

Now is not the time to keep pushing Antonelli in F1. Wolff has a duty of care to take his driver away from the limelight that comes part and parcel with the sport.

The solution? Relegate Antonelli to the role of reserve driver. Allow him to gain more experience in an alternative racing series before putting him back in the F1 pressure cooker.

The problem is, who will Mercedes replace Antonelli with as they wait for Verstappen to become available?

Who should replace Antonelli?

The answer has never been more clear after the Dutch GP. Where Antonelli has been unpredictable and mistake prone in 2025, Isack Hadjar has been consistent and cool under pressure.

Yes, Lando Norris failed to finish at Zandvoort, gifting Hadjar his first F1 podium. But, Hadjar had to be in the right position to snatch it in the first place.

Without a stellar lap in qualifying for Hadjar, he wouldn’t have been in podium contention. Antonelli by contrast, made a Q2 exit on Saturday and exemplifies that his barrier to success is not just experience, but also pace.

Hadjar had the likes of Charles Leclerc and George Russell behind him throughout the entire Dutch GP, yet held firm and did not make any silly errors to compromise his position.

He was focused on preserving that fourth place, not chasing after Verstappen and burning his tyres out, which would have made him vulnerable to the cars from behind. Maturity won Hadjar his first F1 podium, alongside his pace.

It is easy to imagine Antonelli cracking under that same pressure, crashing at Turn 3 into the barriers that many drivers have fallen victim to across the race weekend.

Following Hadjar’s podium masterclass, Red Bull and Helmut Marko will want him to replace Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull.

For the sake of his own career, Hadjar should not take the poisoned chalice that is their second seat. There is no guarantee he will not follow the same trajectory as Tsunoda, nor will he be able to truly shine as Verstappen’s team-mate.

If I was Toto Wolff – or Hadjar’s manager – I’d be seeking a deal for Hadjar at Mercedes. The Frenchman has proven he has podium scoring potential, and the team is an environment where he could thrive regardless if they are successful or not. Red Bull is a dead end for Hadjar.

It is also time Wolff protected Antonelli. That does not mean defending him to the media and hoping he will improve. If Wolff wants to nurture Antonelli, he needs to take him out of the F1 environment, help him gain experience — his lack thereof ultimately prompting that crash with Leclerc — and remove that external pressure.

The Italian clearly cannot cope with the heat in F1, and you can't help but feel sorry for such a promising youngster wilting in this harsh environment.

While Verstappen was 17 at the start of his F1 career, Antonelli somehow appears younger both in his mentality and racing experience. It is now Wolff's responsibility to shield and cultivate his potential, outside of the public eye.

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