F1 paddock ‘rumours’ suggest Kimi Antonelli’s new deal could open the door for Charles Leclerc at Mercedes

Follow us on Google Discover

Kimi Antonelli’s new deal at Mercedes means his seat at the German constructor is still up in the air after 2026, and ‘rumours’ in the F1 paddock have suggested the possibility of Charles Leclerc becoming a Silver Arrow.

Mercedes handed Antonelli and George Russell a new deal ahead of the United States Grand Prix this weekend, ending one of the biggest sagas within the Formula 1 driver market.

Russell has been rewarded with a long-term deal at Mercedes following his impressive performances during the current campaign, putting to bed previous links that would have seen him exit the team and Max Verstappen join.

On the other hand, the Italian is understood to have signed a one-year extension to his current contract in order for the 19-year-old to further prove that he has what it takes to succeed in F1.

Mercedes are yet to disclose the full terms of his agreement, but it is also understood that Antonelli has ‘long-term arrangements’ with the Brackley-based racing outfit.

READ MORE: Toto Wolff explains why Kimi Antonelli has been under ‘enormous’ pressure in rookie F1 season with Mercedes

‘Rumours’ in the F1 paddock suggest Charles Leclerc could potentially replace Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes

Toto Wolff has admitted to ‘destabilising’ Russell during his public pursuit of Verstappen earlier in the season, but it’s clear that the Dutchman is still someone that Wolff would love to see in Mercedes colours.

However, a new name has cropped up within the paddock regarding a future switch to Mercedes, and Antonelli could face the chopping block if the rumour comes to fruition.

Speaking on an episode of ESPN’s Unlapped podcast in the Circuit of the Americas paddock, journalist Nate Saunders noted how Antonelli’s new deal could potentially open the door for Leclerc, who has voiced his frustrations about Ferrari throughout the current term.

He said: “What was interesting about it, though, was that there was the suggestion of a multi-year deal. The conventional wisdom in the paddock has been for a while that George would get a one-year deal to kind of free them up to get Max maybe down the line.

“But I think that’s now where the pressure has gone towards Antonelli. He’s got a one-year deal, and if he doesn’t perform next year, I think Wolff looks to move him on.

“Not just for Verstappen, but we’ve heard these rumours a little bit about Charles Leclerc maybe wanting to go elsewhere from Ferrari out there.”

READ MORE: George Russell had a ‘good idea’ about which Mercedes driver Toto Wolff wanted next to Max Verstappen

Charles Leclerc has a deadline for Ferrari’s competitiveness in the 2026 F1 season

Leclerc needs his value to be recognised at Ferrari, and as one of the best drivers on the grid without a title to his name, the recent calibre of F1 challengers that the Scuderia have produced has left a lot to be desired from the Monegasque.

Speaking on behalf of Sky Sport Italia at the United States Grand Prix, journalist Roberto Chinchero highlighted that winning a world championship with Ferrari is still Leclerc’s ‘obsession’ but highlighted a potential deadline that he has set for Ferrari to give him a competitive car.

He said: “It’s clear that next year, the first half of the season will decide a lot of things. As with Russell, if things go well, there’s really no reason to look elsewhere. 

“If things don’t go well, though, that’s a different story. I’d add an asterisk there because in that case, a big market opens up. And if things don’t work out, it would only be logical for him to start looking around.

“Maybe he still keeps an eye on Ferrari, but I think it’s perfectly reasonable to explore other options.”