Williams Racing appear to be one of the options for Mercedes junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli to join the grid in 2025.
The 17-year-old is competing in his first season in Formula 2 but Toto Wolff is already preparing him for a career in F1.
Speaking on the Autosport Podcast, journalist Alex Kalinauckas shared what he had heard from Williams in the paddock about the prospect of signing the teenager.
Williams’s stance on signing Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli for 2025 now shared
Team principal James Vowles will be well aware that he faces a big decision very soon.
After 19 drivers were retained for the 2024 season, he made the call after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to hand Logan Sargeant his second Formula 1 contract.
The young American had only scored a single point – courtesy of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc being disqualified in Austin – and was way off Alex Albon’s pace.
His more experienced teammate is already signed up until the end of 2025.
However, he might be joined by a new driver next year with Sargeant’s chances of staying with the team beginning to dwindle.
Mercedes youngster Kimi Antonelli has emerged as a candidate to join Williams as Sargeant’s replacement in 2025.
There have previously been suggestions that the teenager might be parachuted in for the Italian Grand Prix as he’ll have turned 18 by then.
Not only that, one journalist believes Williams might ask for special dispensation to get him in the car even sooner.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Williams Racing from team principal to Mercedes relationship
Williams beginning to consider their driver options
Talking about Antonelli, Alex Kalinauckas said: “Mercedes’s preference, whether this happens for 2025, or 2026, or 2027 is that its highly-rated driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli is promoted into Formula 1 and ideally Mercedes wants to do that for next year. This is a team that’s happy to wait to make its decision.
“That’s what Mercedes wants to do because it doesn’t want to miss out on another highly-rated junior like it did with Max Verstappen going to Red Bull.
“It wants to wait and at the same time if it does wait, it can say well actually maybe he’s not ready for the works team, we can either keep him in Formula 2 for another year if he doesn’t win the title, or we can place say at a customer team like Williams.
“Now, a suggestion made to me in Suzuka is that Williams would actually be open for that.
“It’s keeping its cards close to its chest other than very much saying Alex Albon is off limits for 2025.
“But, I think you would have to say that Williams would be open to having Antonelli and it would gain from doing so.”
READ MORE: Williams driver Logan Sargeant’s life outside F1 from height to Donald Trump ties
Who else could replace Logan Sargeant at Williams?
If Williams decide they want a more experienced driver than Mercedes junior Antonelli for 2025 despite being open to the move, then there are a few other options on the table.
However, Kalinauckas believes Williams could potentially negotiate an engine discount should they bring Antonelli on board.
Sky Sports commentator David Croft believes that Alpine star Pierre Gasly has already had talks with Williams.
His current teammate Esteban Ocon is potentially an option too, while the fastest free agent on the grid – Carlos Sainz – has previously had negotiations with the team.
The post ‘Suggestion made to me’: Williams have now told reporter what they think about signing Kimi Antonelli in 2025 appeared first on F1 Oversteer.
