Karun Chandhok tells Toto Wolff his ideal Mercedes driver combination for 2026

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Mercedes has yet to make any official announcement on its F1 driver line-up after Lewis Hamilton, although there is much speculation over who it could end up being.

Youngster Andrea Kimi Antonelli has led the rumour mill after being fast-tracked to Formula 2 this season by Mercedes, having impressed them in his junior formula career.

The 17-year-old could have theoretically made his F1 debut earlier this year after the FIA changed the Super Licence rules, but he is now set to see out his F2 season in 2024.

Team principal Toto Wolff has been openly courting three-time World Champion Max Verstappen, who is seen as the ideal replacement for the outgoing Hamilton who is heading to Ferrari.

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Verstappen was reportedly offered a contract that Hamilton never had in his days at Mercedes by Wolff, in an attempt to persuade the Dutchman that the Silver Arrows is a better option than Red Bull going forward.

Discussing who Mercedes could take for their future lineup on the Fast and the Curious podcast, former F1 driver Karun Chandhok believes one driver would have been a better option.

Karun Chandhok names the ideal Mercedes lineup for the future

Carlos Sainz has been one of the most high-profile drivers available on the 2025 driver market, having become a free agent as a direct consequence of Hamilton’s move to the Scuderia.

He is a highly sought-after driver having dethroned Max Verstappen’s run of victories last year and being the only non-Red Bull driver to win one of the 22 races.

The Spaniard has recently confirmed his plans to switch to Williams for the 2025 season and beyond, but Chandhok believes Mercedes should have gone a different route.

“I would have thought a Carlos and George combination for the next two years while you get the last year of 2025 into 2026,” said Chandhok.

“With the new rules would have been quite good for Mercedes to come into the new era. And Kimi would still only be 20 years old, so they could still get another two decades of value out of him.”

Carlos Sainz could be swapped with Kimi Antonelli

Although Sainz has signed a deal with Williams, there is reportedly a clause that enables him to leave if he is offered a drive at either Mercedes or Red Bull.

Such a move is more likely to happen at the former given Mercedes’ ties with Williams as an engine partner, and could be a ‘Plan B’ for the team if Kimi Antonelli struggles to put the results in early.

READ MORE: Who is Mercedes academy driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli? Everything to know

Mercedes has enjoyed an uptake in form at recent races having won three of the last four Grands Prix, and if this continues into 2025 it will change the dynamic for Kimi Antonelli who was seen as entering a team that is struggling.

Going to Williams might take the pressure off the Italian, who has endured several months of hype around his promotion while producing lacklustre results in F2 owing to the struggles at Prema.