Monza GP: former F1 world champion warns Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes seat not guaranteed. Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes future looks less secure after the Italian GP at Monza.

F1 | “Antonelli does not have a guaranteed seat”: Mercedes doubts after the Monza GP

Andrea Kimi Antonelli no longer appears entirely safe at Mercedes. During the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Nico Rosberg issued a warning about the young driver’s future. To secure his place, Antonelli must improve his pace and consistency, closing the gap to George Russell in the other Silver Arrow. Looking further ahead, there is also the looming threat of Max Verstappen, who could be tempted by Toto Wolff’s offer in 2027.

The Monza race was another dominant display from Red Bull and Max Verstappen. The Dutchman vanished from his rivals’ radar after the opening laps, leaving them no chance to challenge. It was a strong message from the Austrian team, now led by Laurent Mekies following the dismissal of Christian Horner. At Milton Keynes, the top priority remains regaining the trust of the four-time world champion and his management.

Almost every team in Formula 1 would be ready to make a move for Verstappen should he consider a change. The most likely contenders are Mercedes and Aston Martin, though even Ferrari has been mentioned with subtle hints. At the moment, however, it is Mercedes that holds pole position in the race to secure the current number one driver on the grid. While George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli are both guaranteed to stay with the team until 2026, beyond that, one of the two could be forced out of Brackley to make room in 2027.

Rosberg: “Antonelli must get closer to Russell and be consistent”

Nico Rosberg, who knows the young Italian rookie well, was the first to issue a clear warning: “I’m really happy [Antonelli] managed to recover after those tough Free Practice 2 sessions and that he’s so close to Russell,” he said after qualifying, as reported by crash.net. “That’s where he needs to be. He needs to rebuild his self-confidence and find positive momentum. He can do it, the talent is there, it’s all in his head.” – the former Mercedes driver pointed out at the end of the Italian Grand Prix.

Rosberg added: “Everyone wants him to succeed and keep his seat, and the whole team is supporting him, but I wouldn’t say his place is safe at the moment. Of course, they have confirmed he will race in 2026 as well, but he needs to be consistent, because Formula 1 is a cruel world, unfortunately.”