Antonelli's performance under pressure debunks Sainz move to Mercedes

The former F1 driver recently mentioned the possibility of Carlos Sainz taking up Kimi Antonelli’s place at Mercedes after Monza, when Antonelli’s performances had been labeled as ‘underwhelming’ by the German team’s Principal Toto Wolff.

But Ralf Schumacher explained how the situation has shifted on Sky Germany’s Boxengasse Backstage podcast.

“Formula 1 is very short-lived,” Schumacher said. “Kimi Antonelli had an important weekend in Baku, where he delivered under pressure.

“This result was also important internally for Mercedes. Not only Kimi was under pressure, but also Toto Wolff. He decided to keep Kimi in the cockpit after Lewis Hamilton,” he said.

With Wolff’s recent criticism putting pressure on the driver,Schumacher believes that the Azerbaijan race showed the young Italian can perform when it matters, putting the lid firmly on the Sainz to Mercedes theory.

“Kimi had a solid weekend. He can now build on that. That’s why I don’t think this door will open again for Carlos Sainz,” Schumacher added.

For Sainz, the podium in Azerbaijan was the highlight in what’s been an unlucky season with Williams. He even described it as the sweetest podium of his F1 career.

Having pledged his allegiance to the Williams project led by James Vowles for this season and the next, Sainz was quick to remind the F1 paddock that Williams was a team on the rise, reaffirming his trust in the path he chose in 2024 after his tenure at Ferrari had come to an end.

Vowels was also complimentary of the Spaniard after admitting that the new Williams driver needed a result like the one he scored in Azerbaijan, but also indicating that more was yet to come.

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