Mercedes will have to decide between George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli to partner Max Verstappen if they complete his signing for the 2026 F1 season.

Max Verstappen‘s future at Red Bull has been thrown into question in recent months, with the four-time world champion seemingly unhappy at the team he has spent the majority of his career with.

Mercedes have emerged as the front-runners to sign the Dutchman, meaning one of either George Russell or Andrea Kimi Antonelli will have to vacate their seat to accommodate Verstappen.

One assumption that has been made is that Mercedes would keep Antonelli over Russell, due to the Brit being the more senior driver as well as his tense history with Verstappen playing a factor.

However, Guenther Steiner believes Mercedes will be making a crucial error if Russell is shown the door. The former Haas team principal stated that they can’t be serious about winning a championship if they get rid of the driver who has won a race for them this season.

Mercedes loaning out Kimi Antonelli could damage their relationship in the long term

If Mercedes do end up pulling the trigger on getting Verstappen’s signature for 2026, Toto Wolff could look at sending Kimi Antonelli to Alpine, whilst still keeping him on the books in Brackley through a loan agreement.

Speaking on the RacingNews365 podcast, journalist Sam Coop said, “I don’t think anyone’s saying that Kimi is close to George or will be on George’s level by next year. But what damage would moving Kimi out on loan do to that relationship?

“A lot depends on the characteristics of Kimi and the people around him as to how they preserve that relationship and how Mercedes and Toto are able to say, ‘This is for development purposes; we actually think this will be beneficial for you in the long run’.

“Go 10 years back, say Max is put into that Mercedes alongside Nico or Lewis, and after a year, they go, actually, we’re going to move you out to Williams or whoever.

“I can’t imagine the Verstappen camp being like, ‘Yeah, cool. No worries. All good.’ I think it would have severed that relationship. I think it would have been really detrimental to it.

Mercedes will have to decide between keeping George Russell or Kimi Antonelli

Kimi Antonelli has had a rollercoaster start to his career in F1, showing glimpses of his generational talent as well as his inexperience in Formula 1 machinery.

The Italian’s maiden F1 podium at the Canadian Grand Prix is an obvious high-point for the driver, with a Sprint race pole position in Miami also being a highlight. However, his 2025 record has also been littered with several retirements. The 18-year-old has collected four DNFs in the last six Grands Prix.

Mercedes may lean toward keeping Russell alongside Verstappen due to his experience and proven race-winning ability. His familiarity and strong knowledge of development at the team could be crucial in stabilising the dynamic with an explosive teammate like Verstappen.

However, sidelining Antonelli, even if it is temporarily, could backfire for the German constructor. He is seen as a long-term investment, and any loan deal must be handled delicately to avoid damaging trust. Mercedes will have to reassure him that his future remains central to their own.