Williams could now hand seat to F2 star who’s ‘destined to be in F1’

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Williams could promote an F2 talent to an F1 seat for the 2025 season, ESPN’s Laurence Edmondson says.

Alex Albon is under contract until the end of next year, but Logan Sargeant’s deal is up at the end of the current campaign.

And that could open the door for James Vowles to take on a teenager from the second tier.

Vowles told Sargeant before the season started that he needed to be the ‘surprise of the season’ this year.

Williams kept faith with the American driver even though he only scored one point in 2023 as Albon racked up 27.

Sargeant has failed to impress at either of the first two races so far, finishing 20th and last in Bahrain before coming home 14th in Saudi Arabia.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli could join Williams

Speaking on ESPN’s Unlapped podcast, Edmondson said that Mercedes youngster Andrea Kimi Antonelli is an ‘option’ for Williams next year.

17-year-old Antonelli is only 10th in the F2 championship after two events, but there are still 12 rounds to go.

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri only won two of the first 15 races in the 2021 F2 season before taking five victories in the last 10 to clinch the title.

Antonelli, who has already won five single-seater titles, is ‘destined’ to be in F1 eventually.

And if Mercedes don’t elect to promote him for 2025, he could get his first shot at Williams.

Edmondson said: “Antonelli – there’s that Mercedes option. If not, there could be a Williams option.

“Both of those are very, very possible. Antonelli hasn’t had the perfect start to F2, but we saw, even with Piastri, his first half of the year in F2, he was still finding his feet a bit, and it was the second half where he really accelerated.

“If Antonelli can do something similar, I think he’s going to put forward a very, very strong case.

“He’s destined to be in F1 anyway, whether it’s a second year in F2 next year. I don’t think that’s really going to hold him back that much, he’ll still make it there eventually.”

Antonelli could be another George Russell

Joining Williams would see Antonelli follow in the footsteps of George Russell, who spent three years with the Grove team before joining Mercedes.

Russell was an F2 champion but he had to bide his time before he received his chance at the front of the grid.

Toto Wolff must decide whether Antonelli is ready to replace Ferrari-bound seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton at the Silver Arrows next year.

If Wolff opts for a driver who has won at the highest level instead – Max Verstappen appears to be the dream candidate – then a move to Williams may suit all parties.

David Croft says that Vowles is an admirer of Antonelli, but will want him on at least a two-year deal.