Kimi Antonelli delivers Mercedes contract update as Max Verstappen talks fade

Kimi Antonelli has delivered an update on his Mercedes contract situation, following the discovery that Toto Wolff's talks with Max Verstappen have faded. 

Ahead of this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, the Mercedes team principal delivered his biggest indicator yet that Verstappen will not be signing for the Silver Arrows next season. 

As a result, it is widely expected that Antonelli and George Russell will be retained, at least for the 2026 season. 

Antonelli's contract does expire at the end of this campaign, with the teenager having endured a difficult run of form at a time when Mercedes' seats have been a hot topic. 

The Italian has scored points in just one of the past six races, whilst he retired in four of those. F1's European races have not been kind to the 18-year-old, who is hoping to make progress in Spa-Francorchamps. 

However, when it comes to his future, Antonelli has never been concerned about his seat and has insisted the atmosphere within the team is better than ever.

Discussing speculation surrounding his future, Antonelli told media: "I've never been worried, to be honest. I know the situation, I know what the team wants, especially looking at the future. 

"So I think also Toto has been clear recently, so that's obviously good to see. But, I think the team is working well. The line-up is good. Me and George are working well together, and we are trying to work together also as a team to find performance. 

"So, I think we're doing a pretty good job. And also there's a really good atmosphere in the team. It's always nice to go back to the factory and see how much the team is pushing, not only for this year, but also ahead of next year. 

"So, this means above that there's a good dynamic in the team. And yeah, but I'm sure the team knows what's the best for, especially next year."