Williams team principal James Vowles has provided an update on the likelihood that Mercedes protégé Andrea Kimi Antonelli will replace Logan Sargeant towards the end of the F1 season.
Outgoing Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz will take over from the American in 2025, but there remains speculation Sargeant will struggle to see out the year.
Vowles has been quite clear in his stance that Sargeant must continue to "earn" his seat throughout the rest of the season.
With Mercedes looking increasingly likely to partner George Russell with Antonelli next year, it has been contended that Toto Wolff could look to get the young Italian some F1 experience prior to stepping into a race-winning car.
Antonelli will turn 18 years of age over the next grand prix weekend, at Zandvoort at the end of August. As he already holds an FIA super licence, he could be jettisoned in at Sargeant's expense.
However, Vowles insists his former boss is not trying to force the F2 driver into a seat alongside Alexander Albon - and has admitted Antonelli's ascent into F1 may not "overlap" with the Grove-based team, despite being impressed by him.
"So, Toto [Wolff] isn't pushing him [Andrea Kimi Antonelli] towards me," the 45-year-old told select media including RacingNews365.
"And my perspective, as I said before, is I'd much rather give Logan [Sargeant] every opportunity to succeed and be an ongoing professional racing driver.
"Where I'm balancing, and the reason why I said not an absolute 'yes' to it [keeping Sargeant in the car for the rest of the 2024 season] is: when we make this car faster, and we will make it faster, I have a responsibility to finish as high up in the championship as possible.
"And if he delivers brilliant, and if he doesn't, then I need to reconsider my options...
"He's [Antonelli] a good kid, but he's 17... I'll be proud of whatever he achieves because I was part of his journey all the way up until the last few years, but I'm not sure that's going to overlap with Williams."
Also interesting:
In the latest episode of the RacingNews365 podcast, Ian, Sam and Nick look back at last weekend's Belgian GP and look ahead to the summer break! George Russell's disqualification is discussed as well as what Red Bull needs to do to prevent McLaren beating it to the constructors’ crown.
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