The departure of Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes has dominated the headlines all over. With Ferrari now locking in their drivers for the 2025 season, the big question arises: who will replace Hamilton in Mercedes?
The void that Hamilton leaves behind in Mercedes is as big as his decorated legacy with the team, as Toto Wolff now deals with the tricky decision of figuring out who to pair with fellow driver George Russell.
With big names such as the likes of Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen all signing multi-year deals with their respective teams, Mercedes are now tasked with looking out for yet another potential superstar to fill the shoes.
That being said, let us delve into some of the more interesting names that Mercedes can sign to their roster.
Carlos Sainz
Well, this would be a no-brainer for Mercedes. A straight swap would make for one of the better outcomes in this case. And with Sainz basically having to bear the brunt of being the collateral damage to the biggest F1 news story to break in the 21st century, it would also make for some form of reparations for the Spaniard.
Sainz is no cheap downgrade. The Spaniard proved his worth in Ferrari, becoming Leclerc’s strongest partner in his tenure at Ferrari, and can be trusted with consistency in his performances. His history with his past teammates is also a strength as there has been no internal conflict that has ever arisen from working with Sainz so far.
One factor though that needs to be acknowledged is the plethora of options that both Mercedes and Sainz are dealt with. If it all comes together, Mercedes can rest easy knowing they are acquiring a world-class proven talent on their hands.
Fernando Alonso
If a big name signing is what Mercedes are on the lookout for, they needn’t look any further than former World Champion Fernando Alonso.
Despite his age, Alonso has consistently proven that with the right machinery, he is still highly efficient and can deliver results. Although Alonso might thoroughly be enjoying his time at Aston Martin currently, who is to say that the pull of a Mercedes might not tempt him away?
Daniel Ricciardo
With his trademark smile and practical jokes, Ricciardo is undoubtedly one of the most popular drivers on the F1 grid. But losing his seat following the early termination of his contract at McLaren in 2022 led him on a path to tapping into his old self after stepping in half-season at his old outfit AlphaTauri and putting in several convincing performances.
The Australian is currently contracted to Red Bull, with the reigning world champions placing him at their sister team RB for this season. But, Ricciardo would make for a wondrous teammate with George Russell and providing he can pick up his performances once again, it would make for a compelling team.
Alex Albon
Albon, who drives for Williams on a multi-year deal, has risen up the ranks in the eyes of all teams with sensational performances in 2023. Despite his deal, the pull and influence of a team like Mercedes can possibly draw the Thai-British driver away from Williams, in a situation similar to that of how Valtteri Bottas signed with Mercedes.
One never knows, maybe a change of machinery might just be the push Albon needs to pivot himself into consistent poles and compete at the highest levels.