Verstappen to Mercedes? These rumors leave Antonelli utterly unfazed!

"Do I talk to other teams? No, no, no. You know, I got this opportunity from Mercedes and there are no talks going on with anyone else. I'm very happy with where I am now, and I'm also confident that the team is happy with me and with what they expect from me. So in my case, I just have to do my best now, limit the mistakes as much as possible, and try to get the most out of it. But I know the team has a lot of confidence in me, so I'm actually not worried," said the Italian Mercedes driver to among others GPblog.

Antonelli doesn't seem to be rattled by the rumors currently circulating about the four-time F1 world champion. "Of course, a lot is happening, but I'm sure the team is doing its best to offer the best for the future. They're obviously not just looking at next year, but also further ahead. So yes, a lot is happening, there are a lot of talks, but my goal is just to keep doing my best, whatever happens."

Both George Russell and Antonelli have contracts with Mercedes until 2025. Should Toto Wolff manage to attract the Red Bull driver, the question remains who would become Verstappen's teammate at Mercedes. Russell might also be the one who has to leave. He himself said at the traditional media day that he is not afraid of Verstappen: "I have pretty thick skin and I don't really read much news or listen to rumors."