Latest news with #Brackley-based
Newsweek
13-07-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Kimi Antonelli Breaks Silence after Verstappen's Strong Links to Mercedes
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Mercedes Formula One driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli has broken his silence amid rumors of Max Verstappen's potential switch from Red Bull to Mercedes. Kimi Antonelli is reported to have signed a one-year deal with the Brackley-based outfit, which is set to expire at the end of this year. George Russell's claim about his contract extension being on hold due to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff's ongoing talks with Verstappen triggered speculation about the possibility of Verstappen moving to Mercedes. Russell's contract is also set to expire at the end of 2025. While Wolff admitted that Russell and Kimi Antonelli would fill both seats at Mercedes next year, he didn't shy away from saying that he would keep tabs on Verstappen to potentially sign him in the future. Verstappen pledged his loyalty to Red Bull a few weeks ago, stressing that he wasn't switching teams. However, the sudden ousting of Red Bull team principal Christian Horner on Wednesday might have changed the situation. Third placed Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team talks with Second placed Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix... Third placed Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team talks with Second placed Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 15, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. MoreIt is thought that Verstappen and Wolff met off the coast of Sardinia this week to hold further discussions, adding fuel to the speculation. Kimi Antonelli, who made his F1 debut in Australia this year, admitted that "there is a lot going on," but stressed that he would continue focusing on his performance. When asked if he received assurances from Mercedes about racing next year, he said: "I mean, obviously, there is a lot going on. But I am sure the team is doing their best to provide for the future as well, because they're obviously not just looking at next year, but also looking for the future as well. "There are a lot of talks going on, but my goal is just to try and do my best, no matter what." Kimi Antonelli went on to confirm that he wasn't holding talks with any other team. Predicting a rough road for Red Bull, given Horner's exit and ongoing challenges with the RB21 F1 car, former FIA steward Johnny Herbert said Mercedes would likely be Verstappen's preference. He said: "It sounds very much so, that the Mercedes thing is where he's probably going to end up. So, it's probably not a surprise everything with Christian anyway." Hinting at key Red Bull exits since mid-2024, he added: "Now, it's going to be a really difficult period for them [Red Bull], because obviously, with all the changes, with Jonathan [Wheatley] and Adrian [Newey] and a few other people, and of course, with Christian as well. "It's in a very precarious position at the moment, because, like anything in Formula 1, you've got to be able to have the right ingredients, which includes personnel, direction, and that's all been slowly, sort of eroded away. "And then you've got the performances on the track at the end of the day, and a probably not so happy Max, definitely not a happy Jos, but it's probably not a happy Max. "Because Max, as you know, wants to be in a situation of winning races and a world championship, and that sort of, again, slowly, sort of eroded away over the last, what, year and a half, I guess."
Newsweek
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Lewis Hamilton Reveals Advice he Would Give Max Verstappen for Mercedes
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has opened up on the advice he would give Max Verstappen about his former team, Mercedes, considering the rumors about Verstappen's ongoing talks with the Brackley-based outfit. The speculation erupted after George Russell revealed that discussions on his Mercedes contract extension were delayed due to ongoing talks between Mercedes and the four-time world champion. Notably, Russell's Mercedes contract is set to expire at the end of this year. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff acknowledged the interest in having Verstappen on board his team but revealed a very low probability of a move happening next year. Wolff emphasized that Russell and Kimi Antonelli would continue racing for Mercedes in 2026, but he didn't hesitate to admit that Verstappen would remain on his radar for the long-term future. Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Ferrari speaks with Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing in Parc ferme during the Sprint/qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of China at Shanghai International... Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Ferrari speaks with Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing in Parc ferme during the Sprint/qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of China at Shanghai International Circuit on March 22, 2025 in Shanghai, China. MoreWith Russell yet to sign an extension, speculation about Verstappen's potential Mercedes switch continues to swirl. As F1 heads to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix this weekend, Hamilton was asked if he would recommend Verstappen to join Mercedes if he were asked for his opinion. The 40-year-old driver gave a positive reply and remarked that he would be interested to see what unfolds in the future. He said: "Of course. If someone, anyone, was going to ask me about Mercedes, it's an amazing team also with the passion, they've got great personnel, it's a great factory, great environment to work in. "I'll be interested to see what happens." Hamilton didn't hold himself back from praising Red Bull, and explained how he had misunderstood the team many years ago when he was a staunch Mercedes fan. He added: "I mean, he's coming from a great team and I think many, many years ago I was asked [about Red Bull], I think I was just so diehard Mercedes at the time, and I remember saying something about Red Bull being only a drinks company. "I always regretted it because I was just saying that because Mercedes at the time was just great. I was really just trying to gee up my team, but the truth is Red Bull have been an incredible team. "There's so many people there that are exceptional and they've dominated for years." Speaking on his home race this weekend, Hamilton admitted he was looking forward to the Silverstone magic with hopes of securing his first podium finish of the season. He said: "I'm hoping and praying, yes. There's always magic here in Silverstone, so I don't really have to hope for that in the sense that the crowd is incredible. "It's a very, very, very special place. And it always provides a special race, one way or the other. But I'm hoping that whether all sorts of things can help us, because we're obviously naturally not as strong as we used to be."
