Mercedes Considers Loaning Kimi Antonelli Amid 2026 F1 Lineup Decisions

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff publicly criticized rookie driver Kimi Antonelli's underwhelming performance at the 2025 Italian Grand Prix, where Antonelli finished ninth despite qualifying seventh, further hindered by a spin in practice and a five-second penalty during the race. Antonelli acknowledged Wolff's comments, attributing his struggles mainly to race execution and mistakes, and stressed the importance of clean sessions going forward. The young driver's recent form has been disappointing, with points scored in just three of the last ten races, leading to his drop to eighth in the drivers' standings behind Alexander Albon. Wolff suggested Antonelli is still carrying the psychological weight of previous errors, which may be affecting his current performance, and Mercedes is working to help him clear his mind. Meanwhile, speculation about Antonelli's future intensified as he has yet to sign a contract for 2026, though Wolff reportedly has no plans to loan him out; a potential seat at Alpine remains open, but Mercedes seems intent on managing Antonelli's and George Russell's contracts carefully. Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher suggested Mercedes consider Carlos Sainz as a short-term replacement if necessary, reflecting uncertainties about Antonelli's long-term prospects amid his challenging rookie season.