David Croft suggests new name for Williams if Mercedes get Max Verstappen

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Williams may be able to sign Andrea Kimi Antonelli if Mercedes bring in Max Verstappen, Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft says.

Mercedes are looking for a replacement for Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton for 2025, and reigning world champion Verstappen is thought to be the ‘hottest candidate’ right now.

Croft reckons that this could pave the way for Williams to land Silver Arrows youngster Antonelli.

Mercedes feel that the 17-year-old can become as good as Verstappen or Ferrari star Charles Leclerc, but it’s unclear whether they’re willing to give him a seat at such a early stage.

Antonelli only made his debut in Formula 2 last weekend, finishing 14th in the sprint race and 10th in the feature race.

He’s won five junior titles so far, including the Formula Regional European Championship and Middle Eastern Championship last year.

Williams have recent experience of working with a young Mercedes driver after George Russell’s three-year stint at Grove between 2020 and 2022.

David Croft says Andrea Kimi Antonelli could end up at Williams

Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 podcast, Croft raised the possibility that Antonelli could spend two years at Williams if the blockbuster Verstappen move materialises.

As much as team principal James Vowles ‘rates’ the young Italian, Croft thinks he would want Toto Wolff to lend him his services for at least two years to take him on.

“There’s a lot of talk about Andrea Kimi Antonelli for Mercedes,” he said (39:40). “If Mercedes get Max Verstappen [and] they want to put Andrea Kimi Antonelli in somewhere, that might be a two-year deal down at Williams.

“As well as I know James Vowles, he’s not going to say, even with such a great relationship with Toto Wolff, ‘I’ll take your guy for a year’.

“That’s not part of his methodology for Williams. It’s about the long term and it’s not about temporary short fixes.

“He knows Antonelli very well and rates him very highly, but I don’t think he’d take him for a year.”

Antonelli may be contender for Logan Sargeant Williams seat

Both Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant are out of contract at the end of the season, but one is in a very different position to the other.

Albon is being talked up as a possible contender for the Mercedes drive himself, having scored 27 of the team’s 28 points in a superb individual effort last year.

On the other hand, Vowles has told Sargeant that he must be the ‘surprise of the season’ if he’s to retain his seat for 2025.

Vowles may seek to utilise his ties with Mercedes to bag Antonelli, having previously worked as the chief strategist for the Brackley team.