17-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s F1 move has been seemingly leaked. Since Lewis Hamilton left Mercedes for Ferrari, Antonelli was considered the favorite to replace the 7-time champ. However, because of his inexperience, replacing the struggling Logan Sargeant at Williams was supposed to be the first step. Surprisingly, that announcement could be coming sooner than expected.

Logan Sargeant looks completely out of place in F1. His 2024 performances have been as bad as his rookie season in 2023, costing millions in crash damages. Williams has been a backmarker team in F1’s recent past and they cannot afford such costly mistakes. Additionally, them being a ‘feeder’ team to Mercedes increases the pressure on Sargeant to improve or make space for Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli is currently driving in F2, after skipping F3 because of his compelling progress and pace. F1 insiders have also hinted at the Italian replacing Sargeant once he turns 18 in August (owing to F1’s age requirement). In contradiction, Mercedes TP Toto Wolff has been tight-lipped about Antonelli’s precursor move to Williams. But one person who couldn’t do the same was an Italian F4 commentator.

While commentating for Round 1 of the Italian F4 championship in Misano, he accidentally spoke more than he should’ve about Antonelli’s future with Williams. “Andrea Antonelli 2022, the soon to be announced W- “, said the commentator before immediately cutting himself off. “Ahh, actually, I won’t finish that sentence,” he carefully added. But it was too late. X users caught hold of it and it spread like wildfire.

If this accidental revelation turns out to be true, it would be the most unfortunate means of getting the message for Logan Sargeant. Williams Team Principal James Vowles, however, has downplayed any such replacement possibility.

James Vowles carefully defuses rumors of Kimi Antonelli’s Williams talks

Andrea Kimi Antonelli has already tested Mercedes’ 2022 cars at Imola and is reportedly set for a face-off against reserve driver, Mick Schumacher, at Silverstone. James Vowles, however, has said that he knows nothing about the test results. Moreover, the Briton even said that he hasn’t even spoken with Antonelli for a Williams drive.

“Let’s put it this way. I haven’t spoken to Kimi since Abu Dhabi last year,” Vowles told a group of eager reporters in Miami. “Hopefully that puts it in context. I know nothing about what’s going on at Mercedes’ tests right now. We are looking, as everyone else is, for where we want to be on driver line-up for next year and we have our own young driver program. In the case of Kimi, I can’t really adjudicate on the level he’s at.”

Despite downplaying the Italian’s F1 talks, Vowles did warn Sargeant about stepping his game up. “In case of him coming into the car this year, I’ve always said from the beginning, it’s a meritocracy. Logan has to earn his seat,” he added. “And at the moment, he has some tough targets where he has to get much closer to Alex. But there is nothing on the radar at the moment for replacing him.”

Vowles’ comments contradict reports claiming that Williams had already asked the FIA for a dispensation allowing Antonelli to race before turning 18. But the Italian F4 commentator’s slip says otherwise. Would you rather see Sargeant or Antonelli in the Williams seat?