Carlos Sainz responds to Mercedes rumours of an Antonelli switch

Carlos Sainz will not swap seats with Kimi Antonelli next season, the Spaniard adamant that it is nothing but a rumour as he has a binding contract with Williams.

Dropped by Ferrari last season to make space for seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton, Sainz negotiated with several teams up and down the pit lane, including Mercedes, for a 2025 race seat.

Could Carlos Sainz replace Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes?

But as one door after the other was shut, the Spaniard signed a multi-year contract with Williams.

Sainz revealed he spoke with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff “a lot” but that he did “not really” come closing to agreeing a deal.

“We spoke a lot with Toto and everyone else at the time,” he told the High Performance Podcast, “and I was certainly one of the options that was considered.

“But how close was I? You can ask Toto that.

“But I think he is very happy with Kimi Antonelli.”

Today, though, there are questions about how happy Wolff is with the Italian.

Although Antonelli’s F1 career began with a hat-trick of top ten results, he’s only scored five times in the last 13 race weekends with Wolff calling his performance at the Italian Grand Prix “underwhelming”.

The Austrian’s first note of criticism towards the 19-year-old came as Formula 1 awaits official confirmation of Mercedes’ driver plans for the F1 2026 season with Wolff yet to rubberstamp Antonelli, or George Russell.

Wolff has, however, made it clear that he intends continuing with Antonelli and Russell, telling PlanetF1.com and other media outlets in Zandvoort: “I’ve always said there’s not going to be any big news, because we’re doing this. We’re continuing with both of them, of course.”

But without official confirmation, it’s led to speculation that Sainz could be in line to replace the Italian in a straight swap, with Williams used in the past to blood Antonelli’s teammate Russell, who spent three years with the Grove outfit before stepping up to Mercedes.

Sainz scoffed at the rumour, adamant that’s all it is.

“Rumours about me going to Mercedes in Antonelli’s place?” he told Sky Italia. “I know I have a contract with Williams and Toto hasn’t called me or James.

“It’s just rumours, I don’t listen to them.

“I’m focused on this project. Honestly, I think I am in the right place at the right time.

“This year has been really hard for me because I’ve been really quick on track, many good qualifyings, but in the race, something always goes wrong. It shows you that the speed has always been there and we’re only missing putting good results together.”

The Spaniard and Williams put it together in Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix where Sainz raced from second on the grid to third at the chequered flag, securing his debut podium as a Williams driver.

This isn’t the first time that Sainz, who only joined Williams in January, has been linked to a move away from the Grove team.

Even before his first grand prix, there were claims that his contract included an exit clause that would allow him to leave the team should Mercedes or Red Bull come calling.

Williams team principal James Vowles refuted this.

“No, no,” he told PlanetF1.com and other select publications.

“Because, I’m not saying it is anyone on this table, there was only a handful of people in the world that know what we’re talking about. And that’s not even within the team as well.

“And it’s definitely not journalists that are outside this motorhome.”

Sainz is 12th in the Drivers’ Championship having increased his tally to 31 points with his P3 finish in Azerbaijan.

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