What choices do Mercedes have after Hamilton’s sensational Ferrari move?
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Lewis Hamilton’s sensational choice to leave Mercedes and join Ferrari for 2025 has lighted the Equation 1 titles and the driver market. Therefore, what alternatives do the Silver Arrows have for a replacement?
Last weekend, I wrote that Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon held the key to the driver market. Now that Hamilton has switched sides, their importance has only increased.
Hamilton to change from Mercedes to Ferrari for 2025 season
Mercedes have a precarious choice to make, as they hope to make up for the gigantic shortcoming seven-time best on the planet Hamilton will leave close by George Russell.
Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc tied the knot with McLaren and Ferrari last week, and Max Verstappen has a huge deal with Red Bull that will last until 2028. F1’s top drivers are already tied down.
In any case, they are not in as terrible a spot as in 2016, when Nico Rosberg resigned startlingly in the wake of coming out on top for the big showdown, as there are a few excellent choices on the table.
Lewis Hamilton of Extraordinary England and Mercedes on searches in the Enclosure
Lewis Hamilton’s choice to trade Mercedes for Ferrari will send shockwaves through the driver market
Carlos Sainz
Carlos Sainz is the blow-back to the greatest F1 report to break in the 21st Hundred years, the Spaniard having ostensibly been the most grounded Ferrari driver during his up until this point three-year organization with Charles Leclerc. Nonetheless, he can basically breathe easy in light of the way that of the relative multitude of drivers to usurp him, it’s the most enriched driver the game has at any point seen.
Furthermore, he raises a ruckus around town with his stock enjoying some real success, the Spaniard the main non-Red Bull driver to win a Fantastic Prix in 2023. Sources say Sainz has a decent connection with Mercedes manager Toto Wolff and there have been different discussions between his supervisory crew and the Silver Bolts throughout recent years.
What could be compared to a straight trade would seem OK for the two players.
ANALYSIS: Why Hamilton concluded this moment was the opportunity to hop from Mercedes to Ferrari
Mercedes get a very steady driver who scores well and whose criticism has been profoundly evaluated by each group he’s consistently determined for in F1 – a vital device for a group that has battled with execution lately. He has likewise managed everything well with each partner – and there’s not an obvious explanation to accept that won’t go on with Russell.
For Sainz, he’ll skip starting with one race-battling group then onto the next – and one that has family of coming out on top for big showdowns at a constant rate lately. If the car is up to par, he will back himself to perform well against Russell and score a string of podium finishes and victories.
Why isn’t it finished yet? Mercedes does have options, but evaluating them can take time. Aston Martin, Sauber (which will become Audi), Alpine (with whom he raced when Renault was still in business), and Williams are also options for Sainz, according to sources.
Carlos Sainz of Spain sits in the (55) Ferrari SF-23 in the carport
Carlos Sainz will be left searching for another seat with Ferrari joining Hamilton
Alex Albon
Alex Albon’s heavenly presentation in 2023 – his focuses score basically got P7 for Williams without any help – has made him quite possibly of the most sought-after driver available.
Sources say his long term bargain commits him to Williams for the rest of 2025, however there are dependably provisions and should a group like Mercedes come calling, it’s probably there’ll be a method for permitting the transition to occur – similar to the situation when Valtteri Bottas left his arrangement right on time with Williams to join Mercedes as Rosberg’s substitution.
Albon feels like he’s looking like his life – with a lot of headroom to get far superior before long and in this manner he’ll need to gain by the huge measure of interest he’s presently appreciating.
How Lewis Hamilton’s shocking move from Mercedes to Ferrari worked out
That may be remaining at Williams – who are modifying and contributing intensely and couldn’t want anything more than to make Albon the driver they shape themselves around on that excursion.
It very well may be at Mercedes, a group that offers Albon the opportunity of hardware that will probably be in dispute for platform and wins temporarily.
Or on the other hand it very well may be getting paperwork done for another group, with no less than three groups on the framework comprehended to be keen on getting his mark.
Therefore, Albon, Mercedes, and his management team have a lot to think about over the coming days and weeks.
Alexander Albon of Thailand and Williams looks on from the drivers
Albon partook in a heavenly 2023 with Williams and different groups are observing his exhibitions
Fernando Alonso
Mercedes could follow some guidelines from Lawrence Walk’s experience and supplant one title holder with another (Aston acquired Fernando Alonso to trade Sebastian Vettel for 2023).
They would need to persuade Alonso to leave Stroll’s team in order to accomplish that, but the fact that the double world champion’s contract expires at the end of the year makes him a real possibility.
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Could Mercedes need such a major character close by Russell? They could, if they wanted, get a driver in his 40s to drive at an incredible level.
He has demonstrated that, given the appropriate equipment, he can still fight with a sword. Additionally, Mercedes has more time to plan for their medium- to long-term future because of the heavyweight name.
Alonso has been reawakened at Aston Martin and is cherishing life there, helped essentially by the reality the vehicle has allowed him the opportunity to battle for platform on a sensibly reliable premise. But if he wants to win again as soon as possible, would the carrot of a Mercedes seat be too tempting to ignore?
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 05: Fernando Alonso of Spain and the Aston Martin F1 Team finished in third place. Fernando Alonso has been revived at Aston Martin. Daniel Ricciardo Daniel Ricciardo has been linked to a move to Mercedes in the past, so it wouldn’t be surprising if contact was rekindled now that a seat is available.
The Australian is obviously as of now contracted to Red Bull, with the dominant title holders putting him at their sister group RB for this season.
And since he was dropped by McLaren, we have yet to see how consistently competitive Ricciardo can be after a stymied return to Formula One in the middle of last year, when he missed five races due to a broken hand.
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In any case, his stock remaining parts high – and there were witnesses last year, especially in Mexico, where he showed he’s lost none of his speed and is equipped for separating everything out of a vehicle.
He would be a magnificent colleague to Russell, whom he manages everything well with, and giving he can show he’s areas of strength for however he seemed to be in his Red Bull days, that would be an exceptionally impressive line-up for the Silver Bolts.
ABU DHABI, Joined Bedouin EMIRATES – NOVEMBER 25: Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Scuderia
Daniel Ricciardo could yet be a possibility for Mercedes
Esteban Ocon
Toto Wolff knows Esteban Ocon’s abilities well indeed, with Mercedes dealing with his vocation, so it would seem OK for the Frenchman to be on the waitlist.
Despite having six retirements, more than any other driver, Ocon outperformed Alonso in their final Alpine season and outperformed teammate Pierre Gasly.
Wolff, then, at that point, could stay with a known amount and draft him in close by Russell in the event that he doesn’t fancy any of the choices above.