'Russell and Antonelli are a safer bet to Verstappen, and a lot cheaper too'

18:00, 26 Apr

byNorberto Mujica

Karun Chandhok believes that George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli have given Toto Wolff, Mercedes' team principal and CEO, little to no reason to sign Max Verstappen.

For Chandhok, former F1 driver turned pundit, Russell is a part of the top echelon of F1. "If today we had to pick your top performers of the first five weekends, you'd probably go, Piastri, Verstappen, Russell as your top three, wouldn't you? He's been outstanding, George, this year," the Indian stated in Sky's F1 podcast.

In Saudi Arabia Wolff said that as the situation is at the moment, he is happy with his driver line-up, but Chandhok, whilst stressing that if the reigning world champion is an option you can't overlook that, he also pointed to the progress Antonelli is making, with the Italian "getting stronger and stronger."

Read also

Antonelli like Piastri?

McLaren driver and current leader in the standings, Oscar Piastri, has risen to a full blown championship contender in merely two years. If Antonelli could replicate the Australian's progress then there'd be little reason for Wolff to go for Verstappen and, it would be a substantially cheaper alternative, the Indian notes.

"Toto probably takes some comfort in the way Oscar's progressed in the last two years because it shows actually how difficult it is for a rookie still. Not in terms of outright speed but in terms of tyre management and all the other stuff that goes with being an F1 driver."

"The step Oscar made between 23 to 24 and then 24 to 25. If Antonelli does similar steps then actually George and Antonelli is a strong enough lineup and it's probably gonna cost him a lot less than if he had to pay Max a lot of zeros I'm sure."