Lewis Hamilton replacement: The five likely contenders to join Mercedes
Carlos Sainz may well be the self-evident choice for Mercedes to supplant Hamilton on the off chance that the seven-time winner joins Ferrari in 2025
Seven-time Equation One winner Lewis Hamilton is unequivocally reputed to be clearing out Mercedes and joining Ferrari for the 2025 season.
Hamilton, 39, marked a modern bargain final summer to stay with the group where he has won all but one of his world titles until the conclusion of the 2025 season.
But a few sources detailed by the BBC said a bargain with Ferrari to induce him out of that commitment a year early has as of now been concurred and may be reported as early as Thursday.
Ferrari and Mercedes have so distant denied to comment, but Mercedes group individuals were supposedly called to a group briefing with group boss Toto Wolff and specialized chief James Allison at 2pm on Thursday.
It takes after a long time of bits of gossip that the move may happen at a few point, and talks with Hamilton were affirmed by the Italian equip to have happened at slightest once some time recently, in 2019.
The 2024 F1 season starts on Thursday 29 February with the Bahrain Terrific Prix.
Why is Lewis Hamilton taking off Mercedes?
The likeliest reason for Hamilton taking off is to race in a Ferrari car that has regularly been quicker over the past few seasons than his Mercedes, to undertake to recapture best spot on the F1 platform once more some time recently he resigns.
Hamilton’s most later world title was won in 2020, since which time Mercedes has battled to keep pace with Max Verstappen and Ruddy Bull.
He has moreover not won a fantastic prix since 2021, and wrapped up third in the 2023 season’s drivers’ championship, behind the Ruddy Bull match of Verstappen – who has won the past three F1 drivers’ championships, counting a profoundly questionable 2021 win over Hamilton in Abu Dhabi – and Sergio Pérez.
The primary Dark driver in Equation 1 history, Hamilton won his to begin with world title with McLaren in 2008 some time recently joining Mercedes in 2013 and going on to win six more.
And with Ruddy Bull so distant ahead of the field, the joining of the sport’s joint-winningest driver and its most seasoned team may be seen by both parties as the finest chance to both include more flatware to Hamilton’s trophy cabinet pre-retirement, and convey a to begin with Ferrari F1 drivers’ title since 2007.
Unused motor controls starting in 2026 might show a chance for that hole to Ruddy Bull to be closed, and the Scuderia – especially president John Elkann, who is said to be companions with Hamilton – would no question hop at the chance to match the Englishman with Charles Leclerc.
The timing of this conceivable switch moreover has echoes of Hamilton’s stun bounce from the declining McLaren to Mercedes ahead of the relocation to half breed motors.
As he enters the dusk of his career, Hamilton’s to begin with and preeminent objective remains to win – and at Ferrari, he would moreover have the chance to do so at the team where his childhood icon Ayrton Senna arranged but never got the chance to race.
Who may supplant Hamilton at Mercedes?
A few family names may be within the running to supplant Hamilton at Mercedes in the event that the news of his move to Ferrari is affirmed, counting Carlos Sainz, Mick Schumacher and Lando Norris.
Carlos Sainz
Sainz is a Ferrari driver at the time of writing, alongside the newly-resigned Leclerc, but could be a free specialist for the 2025 season having been unsuccessful in expanding his contract.
The Spaniard was the as it were non-Red Bull driver to win a Amazing Prix final season, so his encounter combined with his contract circumstance may make a straight swap to put him in a Mercedes car the foremost self-evident move to form.
Mick Schumacher
The son of amazing driver Michael Schumacher, Mick went through the 2023 season as Mercedes’s save driver after being dropped by Haas at the end of the past year.
The 24-year-old accepts he has what it takes to form a comeback, and seem compete for the open space adjacent to George Russell – a individual previous save driver for the group – within the Mercedes line-up come 2025 in case Hamilton leaves.
Lando Norris
He as it were fair marked a modern long-term bargain taking him past the 2025 season with current team McLaren final week, but Lando Norris may take after in Hamilton’s decade-old strides to interface up with individual Brit Russell at Mercedes – in case Wolff and co can discover the money to arrive him, that is.
Sergio Pérez
Pérez is only contracted with Ruddy Bull through to the conclusion of the 2024 season, and may display another experienced free specialist choice for Mercedes on the off chance that his spot nearby Verstappen isn’t reestablished.
Fernando Alonso
At 42, two-time world winner Fernando Alonso may be indeed closer to retirement than Hamilton – but he appeared no signs of abating down when he secured fourth put in final season’s drivers’ championship race in his to begin with year with Aston Martin.
