Was Mercedes choosing Antonelli incorrect? 'That's why you don't put 18-year-olds in F1'

18:01, 27 Aug

Updated: 18:04, 27 Aug

byLudo van Denderen

It's crystal clear for 2026: Max Verstappen will race for Red Bull Racing next season. But what happens after? Perhaps the Dutchman will make a switch to Mercedes for '27.

James Hinchcliffe, former IndyCar driver and currently F1 TV analyst, can well imagine Mercedes making another attempt at signing Verstappen. Especially if Andrea Kimi Antonelli shows no improvement in his performances in 2026.

Verstappen eyeing Mercedes?

“It's a tough situation there. Obviously Kimi being not just a rookie but a very young kid,” Hinchcliffe says in an exclusive interview with GPblog.

“There's still a lot of growth there, a lot of potential there. If by the end of next year he hasn't taken a step up, starting with a brand new car for everybody it's a bit more of an even playing field...”

“If Red Bull doesn't perform and Max is looking to go to the team that's performing and Mercedes has the best car, the best power unit, whatever, yes I could see them going after him."

With a bit of bad luck, Antonelli could be out of Formula 1 as early as his nineteenth birthday, an age where a driver is normally far from making their debut in the premier class of motorsport. “That's why you don't put 18-year-olds into Formula 1,” Hinchcliffe criticizes.

Kimi Antonelli driving the W16 at the Hungaroring

'The timing for Antonelli is not in his favour'

On the other hand, the Canadian has to admit that Mercedes was somewhat forced to give Antonelli the chance, after Lewis Hamilton unexpectedly announced his departure to Ferrari.

“I don't pretend to know the stresses of making those decisions. To your point, it would be a huge shame if two years in, you're out. And you're out because that's a top team that wants the two best drivers."

“Does he get saved by an Alpine, by a Racing Bulls? Does somebody else step in? Who knows? So it's not necessarily game over if Mercedes does drop him. Everything in this sport is about timing and I think unfortunately for Kimi, the timing of everything else kind of forced the position that he's in a little bit," Hinchcliffe concludes.