The Formula 1 driver’s market is set to spring into action very soon, but there’s the potential for change to take place before the end of the season.
F1 is cut-throat and with 24 races to compete in this season, it might not be wise to wait until the end of the campaign to make a change if things aren’t going well.
Speaking on The Race’s YouTube channel, journalist Edd Straw has been rating the chances of one driver getting onto the grid before the season’s conclusion in Abu Dhabi.
After four Grand Prix, it’s becoming clear who has taken a step forward over the winter and who is now being left behind.
There are several teams where the gap between their two drivers is reaching a worrying level.
Aston Martin will want Lance Stroll to quickly improve as Fernando Alonso is showing at every race weekend just how much potential their car has.
The Canadian failed to get out of Q1 in Japan and didn’t recover to finish in the points, much to the delight of the home crowd who cheered Yuki Tsunoda over the line to earn his first top-ten at Suzuka.
Tsunoda has been the stronger of the two RB cars, although Daniel Ricciardo briefly eased the pressure on himself with a good qualifying performance before crashing out on lap one.
Logan Sargeant could be in real trouble at Williams though and that may offer Mercedes youngster Andrea Kimi Antonelli a chance to join the F1 grid in 2024.
It’s not a chance that will be made imminently, but with every passing race weekend, team principal James Vowles will be further questioning his decision to retain the American at the end of last year.
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Andrea Kimi Antonelli could earn F1 chance with Williams during 2024 season
The last time there was as much hype around a young driver as there is surrounding Antonelli was when Oscar Piastri made his way into Formula 1.
The young Australian was signed under Alpine’s nose by McLaren and he’s done brilliantly since his debut at the start of 2023.
Antonelli has won plenty of series at the junior level and Mercedes have so much faith in the 17-year-old he skipped Formula 3 altogether to race in Formula 2 this year.
He’s had a decent but not spectacular start to that series after three race weekends and sits in the top ten of the Drivers’ Championship although he’s up against plenty of much more experienced drivers and has looked as quick if not quicker at times than Oliver Bearman who showed in Saudi Arabia that he’s ready to race in F1.
Antonelli is being lined up to drive for Mercedes in 2025 as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement should he prove that he’s quick enough during behind-closed-doors tests in previous Mercedes F1 cars.
However, Williams may offer Antonelli and Mercedes the chance to see whether he’s ready for a full-time race seat in 2024.
Alex Albon has shown since the start of last season what can be achieved in their most recent cars but Sargeant has yet to match his performances.
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What are the next steps for Andrea Kimi Antonelli?
Speaking about the options on offer to Antonelli, Straw said: “There’s also the possibility that he could appear in FP1 sessions later in the season either for Mercedes or another team but that cannot happen until after he turns 18 on August 25 to be eligible for a superlicense.
“There’s even a chance that if Mercedes commits to running him in 2025, they could attempt to place Antonelli with another F1 team for some races in the second half of the season.
“Williams would appear the obvious choice given Logan Sargeant’s ongoing struggles.
“Any plans for Antonelli have not yet been confirmed but it’s clear that his progress in testing old machinery will play a key role in shaping his program for the rest of this year and 2025.”
The sooner Antonelli is on the F1 grid the better – opinion
Described by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff as an ‘immense’ driver, the best way to find out if Antonelli is ready for Formula 1 is to put him in a car.
It’s hard to imagine the young Italian being a worse option than Sargeant for Williams at this stage.
The American is still waiting to outqualify his more experienced teammate in his F1 career and when the pressure was on in Suzuka to deliver after Albon was taken out of the race by Daniel Ricciardo, he made a crucial error that ended any faint hopes of scoring points.
It seems impossible right now that Sargeant will be offered a new contract for 2025 and beyond.
It makes sense for Williams to cut their losses now and offer Antonelli his chance to race in Formula 1 before the 2024 season is out.
The post ‘Even a chance’: ‘Immense’ racer could join F1 grid in 2024, Williams the ‘obvious’ place for him – journalist appeared first on F1 Oversteer.