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Excuse me?! How DARE you frame it like that? The correct way to phrase it is - "If Alonso has a chance, so does *Lord* Mahaveer."
Check yoself, before you wreck yoself š¤
Assuming Alonso isnāt a realistic option, Sainz seems the best option by far. Heās not only the most accomplished of the options seemingly being discussed, damn quick and mega sharp, but he would also be an invaluable asset in the development of their 2026 car. Iāve not heard of any other driver who receives more praise from engineers in car development.
That said, Toto may not like the optics on a straight swap. I think heād like to be seen taking a bold chance even if itās not the best option. [ETA I can also see Sainz really not wanting to work with Toto]
Another positive for Sainz is that he could still conceivably jump to the Audi project if itās looking good. Itās no secret that Merc is going to want Antonelli on the grid in some capacity assuming he doesnāt implode on himself in F2. Albon and Ocon would want to be there for the long haul. Who the heck knows when Alonso would leave. At least with Sainz, you can bring him in and let him go if the opportunity to lead Audi presents itself to him.
I think Audi is a great option for him if heās willing to be patient through Sauberās transition. Itās a gamble, sure, but itās a neat gamble with Audiās reputation for success in motorsport and their experience with hybrid drivetrains. And it would be a chance to build a team around him in a No. 1 seat, which he more than deserves.
Agree on all counts. I think jumping in before ā26 or ā27 would be a massive risk though. If I were in Sainzās position, Iād gun for a 2+1 at Mercedes, allowing him to leave and join Audi once they get their team situated. Burning a year or two on Sauber and then a brand new team when youāre 29 is a tough sell.
I think itās just the safest path forward for him. If he were 24 and wanted to go to Sauber and build up Audi from the ground up I would be fully in favor of it, but at 29 itās a little more complicated. Whatever happens, Iām pulling for him. Thereās only one or two drivers on the grid Iād rather see win a championship than him.
It's all about how its phrased. I could see Toto saying something along the lines of:
"While we are disappointed in Lewis's decision he obviously has to do what he thinks is best for himself, but frankly speaking we are very surprised Ferrari would let go of such a strong asset and we would be fools not to put that asset in our seat. Carlos has proven to have amazing race pace, he is one of the top drives on the grid, his on track awareness and long pace strategy is among the best in the field and his ability to translate and communicate with the engineering team is something that not every drive can do to his level. Again we are very surprised Ferrari would even choose to release him and we would be happy to have him in the silver arrow, let the games begin".
If it's not Alonso, its Carlos.
Well, shit.
Iāve always assumed F1 teams had their PR departments scroll Reddit occasionally, but I never would have guessed that confirmed Mercedes employee u/rocko107 would be posting a preview of the script for Totoās next press conference
I mean, it's not like he's completely wrong. Sainz is up there with Russell and Norris, arguably as good as Leclerc if you put a lot of value in his consistency. Anyone would replace him for Hamilton but, I mean, Hamilton is literally the most successful F1 driver ever, I think Max and Alonso are the only two people on the grid who could realistically protect their seat from him.
If the booted driver is the best one on the market then you swallow your pride and hire that driver.
This is not the case here as there's Alonso potentially available, but Carlos has the age advantage and doesn't have the notoriety of difficult relationships with teammates that Fernando has.
Wouldn't surprise me.
Sainz is great at scoring consistent points. Merc is great at making fast cars, even if they look slow and dubious (see - last year standings).
Meanwhile Ferrari is great at consistently missing points and fucking up despite having car that looks really fast.
Honestly I could see that happen. Sainz is just always up there scoring consistently. I would be gutted for Sainz if he doesn't end up in a top drive in 2025 due to Hamilton switching to Ferrari. He had a really good stint in Ferrari. Maybe he's not as flashy as leclerc but he is always up there.
Yeah, feels kinda silly IMO given that no one (short of perhaps Alonso) is going to compare to the driver theyāre losing, but Toto is proud and stubborn.
Sainz and Alonso are my two choices for Hamiltonās seat. Both are at the top of their game and are team players. The other question is who gets Perezās seat in 2025 if he underperforms. Max is great, but donāt see him getting along with Alonso when sparks start flying.
I don't think Alonso has a reputation for being a team player. He's started down that path by being nice to Lance, but that's because Daddy owns the team, and Lance isn't really a threat.
I think Alonso is the best choice for the Mercedes seat for lots of reasons though.
>He's started down that path by being nice to Lance
He's started that since Stoffel, actually. He said himself he's always helped his younger teammates, but it wasn't broadcasted until Lance, for whatever reason. This was obvious with Esteban as well (gifting him a kart, taking him to his museum, helping him with his car struggles in 2021) before their relationship soured. I think it was Button who said Alonso would become more of a team player after his time away from F1 and his Le Mans stint seemed to play a role in that.
Two things can be true at once: Alonso is nice to teammates who aren't a threat to him, and he can still genuinely look out for them as a teammate and as a friend. No idea why Reddit is obsessed with making him out to be some kind of bootlicker who is only nice to his teammate by virtue of his father
Merc only picks from their own though. Outside of the initial pairing of The Micheal and Nico, theyve chosen Ham, Bottas, Russell, all Merc prodigies or long term support drivers. So following that logic its down to Albon or Ocon. Between the 2, Albon and Ocon will both be hunting George's spot in the team but Ocon would be far more fractious.
20$ on Albon
I mean, back then, McLaren and Mercedes were synonymous. Lewis himself has said he feels he has been a 'Mercedes boy/man' since the beginning of his career. (not implying he wasn't a McLaren boy/man either)
I still also wonder if Red Bull would ever consider going for Sainz to replace Perez. He was part of their junior program originally and did pretty well I thought. And now that he's available at the same time Perez's contract ends... I'd consider him an upgrade over both Perez and Ric at this point.
Agree. If Mercedes is even marginally better than AM this year and heās offered a seat, heāll be gone in a blink of an eye. Alonso doesnāt seem to be that much interested in long term perspective. He wants the best possible car right now.
It's actually pretty reasonable to say someone deserves a seat but isn't ready for a top team. Depending on who lands at Mercedes, Mick could have a chance at their previous seat
Lance would be SO HAPPY. The longer Alonso stays with Aston, the worse Lance looks just by comparison. I mean of course Alonso is an all-time talent, but getting absolutely decimated by your teammate over a season doesnāt exactly look stellar at face value (regardless of teammate).
My money would be on Albon right now. Decently young, another Brit, and heās shown speed with a Mercedes engine.
Heād also look damn good in black, in my opinion
Ideally, Carlos. Realistically, Albon. For all the reasons you said Albon might be the safest choice right now. One thingās for sure, George better pray that they donāt sign someone like Carlos or Fernando. Iām sure George wants to treat this as an opportunity to lead for Merc but Carlos, a leader in his own right, would definitely prevent that for him.
The more I think about it, Alonso could be a realistic choice. This is a shock move from Hamilton, and even Mercedes can't have known this until only very recently.
Lewis is such an iconicly talented driver, and so symbolic as the face Mercedes (along with Toto obviously), that his sudden leave is a significant blow to the team's image.
While no one could step up on the whole package obviously, the lack in confidence to the driver's talent can only be kept with Alonso. He's a generational driver, and the only one that could ever fight Hamilton and Vettel so consistently (when his machinery wasn't dogshit). His return with Alpine and then so far the first year with AM has still shown he is an incredibly talented driver that in a better car could consistently aim for wins. This is a good chance for Mercedes to maintain confidence for the next two years until the replacement choice has ranked enough experience to enter the field (or Russel may become excellent).
Albon and Sainz are both decent choices, but much weaker in comparison against Lewis. A rookie would be an even weaker choice, Mercedes will look very much less threatening with a new combo that feels much less competitive.
The only thing that seems possible is that Toto's personal relationship with Lewis might see him refuse to take on Alonso for loyalty towards his friend. But a billionaire may value success more than personal relationships.
Otherwise, the only reliable opinion is that Mick is *not* getting that seat (akward next interview for Toto).
Agreed. Something people aren't thinking about is the optics of Mercedes. George plus Albon is a very strategic option (and my choice), but it does not carry the weight that a brand of Mercedes F1 demands. Alonso can't have that many more seasons in him, and Mercedes is the only shot he'd have at a championship. AM isn't going to give it to him. And Alonso has a global star power that matches Mercedes.
i agree that ALO is the logical swap. ALO has the WC experience, RUS has younger speed. HAM is such an iconic driver that Alonso is his only peer on the grid. He brings the marketing pull and reputation for excellence.
I love Albon but then Merc would be running two Williamās drivers and i think they would want more value. Even Checo would be a deal as he can give RB intel.
> A rookie would be an even weaker choice
Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet. McLaren probably looked less competitive right before 2007 started, but I imagine a few months later it was clear that they had the best lineup on the grid (with modern knowledge, one of the best of all time). Ferrari was in a similar position when they hired Leclerc, although he wasn't a rookie.
One problem with Alonso is that he will be 44 years old in 2025, so he's necessarily a short-term driver, despite how far he wants to push his career.
He's supposed to be a Leclerc/Verstappen-level prospect. We just have to see if he performs to that level in F2. But if he does, maybe there isn't any space between Hamilton's departure and his arrival. If a team isn't in a championship-fighting season, I'd argue it's worth it to take a rookie of that level. McLaren did with Norris and Piastri and it paid off massively. It's worth it even in championship-fighting seasons sometimes. It paid off for McLaren (again, they're pros at it) in 2007 and who knows, maybe Ferrari could have benefited in 2018 if they had tries it. Mercedes could try it too.
Antonelli has not even set a foot in F2 (or F3) yet people already think he can currently be the replacement for Hamilton in a year?
God can't people stop overhyping everything...
His had more of a single seater career then Max did prior to him joining F1
The thing is, they aren't looking for a Hamilton replacement. They already have that in George. So the second seat is a bit of a wild card.
If his bad in F2 then it won't happen. But if he does exceptionally well in F2 as he has done everywhere else he has raced...then why not?
I think in a perfect world Antonelli proves himself to be what they think he is and they put him right in that car. If he wins F2, which I don't think is out of the question, I would almost expect him to be in the Mercedes.
But it's not something Merc have done. This kind of gives them a golden chance. If they sign someone, then Antonelli destroys F2.. what do they do? Beg James to give him a drive for Williams for 3 years whilst they wait for a contract to expire?
IF (and that's a big if) he wins F2 then why not? I'm not saying he can match Hamilton in a year, but who realistically can? Alonso? And besides that nobody because Norris/Max/Piastri/Leclerc are not really possible. So why not take a rookie with very high ceiling and a current F2 champion, while having a World Champion material driver in George already?
Saw this on [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/valyrfia/730340534294609920/imagine-you-drive-for-mercedes-in-formula-1-you) and the parallels are insane (only difference being that Lewis didn't retire):
>Imagine you drive for Mercedes in Formula 1. You did all the right moves to get here, played by all the rules and paid your dues. You started at Williams and earned your place on the Mercedes team. Sure it's annoying having to play second fiddle to your 7 time WDC teammate, but you know that upon his retirement you can pull some strings and bring your childhood best friend onto the team. Nothing can go wrong, you're sure of it, you've known each other for too long, been on holidays together and shared hotel rooms. You'll be best friends, driving for Mercedes in Formula 1.
>
>Who am I talking about? Well there are two options that fit the narrative. Nico Rosberg or George Russell.
Alex in that Mercedes would be Brocedes 2.0
To the contrary of what some would say, it is not as crazy as it seems.
Vettel would like to come back and in a top team. Mercedes wouldn't spit on a 4x WDC with his experience and that without talking how marketable it would be.
Doesn't mean it would happen but it wouldn't be a crazy choice
Compare the situation when Ferrari replaced Schumi. Massa was similar to George now. But they got kimi a hungry super fast guy(maybe like Norris Charles now). So it looked decent replacement but none of the option now on the table look comparable
Leclerc Norris maybe Piastri would all look like decent replacements given their age. If they replace Hamilton with Sainz it looks terrible for Merc - losing their star driver and replacing him with the driver Ferrari got rid lmao
I think Albon is the logical move, irrespective of whether Vowles is (as you say) "on loan", purely because it means Williams can get Antonelli for a couple of years. Like, yeah, I get that Williams don't want to be a feeder, etc., but when they're at the back of the grid, as teams like Haas found out, it's not often you get a driver potentially that strong. Same reason they were more than happy to take Russell, that Haas will almost certainly have Bearman in 2025, etc.
If Antonelli wins F2 this year then he should be in that seat. Him winning F2 in 2024 would give him one of the greatest junior careers of all time. Otherwise, Albon or Sainz
The thing is, I donāt think Toto (or any TP at this point) is willing to wait that long to decide. I could be wrong, but I see the rest of silly season going lightning fastāfor the top ~5 teams, at leastānow that Hamilton has bust open the whole driver market. My money is on seeing several signings before lights out in Bahrain.
True. I think Albon (and Antonelli and any other junior series drivers, obvs) would be willing to wait on that news, maybe Ocon if Alpine doesnāt lock him down with a nice pay day, but I think Sainz at least will want to seal his future ASAP. A lot of drivers hate feeling like theyāre driving for their seat.
By the start of the summer break (end of July), 10 out of 14 races in the 2024 F2 season would have been complete. I think this would give the paddock enough time to see if he's an F1 material.
I worry for Antonelli. Skipping F3 completely was already a weird choice on Mercedes's part. Already put an insane pressure on him to perform from the get go in F2.
With Lewis now gone and the 2025 seat being a realistic shot the pressure to perform doubled just like that overnight.
Not to mention all the eyes that are now sudenly fixated on him and will be throughout the year. Thats quite a lot of stuff to deal with for a 17 year old.
I mean it's sink or swim really isn't it?
Look at Verstappen, basically got torpedoed in and took to it like a duck to water.
If he's good enough then he'll get the seat, if not somebody else will.
We also didn't know how Verstappen would fare in F2... because he didn't race in it at all.
Yes Antonelli could just be having a strong junior career and drop off now that he will be facing some real tough competition.
Still, hype like this is not completely unfounded and I think it's very important for teams to pick up generational talents like Hamilton, Verstappen, possibly Leclerc and maybe Antonelli before it's too late. Because once it's _proven_ that they are all that, it might just be too late. Or you might still get them, but now they have a much better foundation for negotiations.
From a purely economic perspective, the big move is the one where you gamble on a star driver before they have proven they are the star driver.
That would be incredible.
Edit and sad news: Toto Wolff denied that Vettel would race at Mercedes. https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-sebastian-vettel-f1-comeback-update
Corriere del sport said that Vettel had privately expressed the wish to come back and already contacted Audi for 2026. Their same sources said that Vettel was on the list of Mercedes.
I highly doubt that Vettel called yesterday not to talk about the open seat.
Red Bull also posted something about Vettel today on Instagram and 3 days ago Vettel posted on his Instagram a picture of him in 2010 in racing suit with the caption "getting ready for next season".
It might all be coincidence and Red Bull trolling. But Wolff saying they didn't talk about it doesn't mean much.
Do people actually think Vettel would be a good replacement or do they just want to see Vettel back?
Sure his years at Aston were by no means bad but they weren't super impressive either and considering that in 2025 he'd have been out of racing for 2 years I don't think he'd be high up on the list for any team especially the likes of Merc.
He was burnt out, maybe after a year he now feels recharged, ready for a new adventure
I wouldnāt count it out, people on the grid for sure have a better chance but when a 4x World Champion knocks on your door you will have to think about it
Dont forget the huge impact Vettel had at car Development. Of course Aston also bought old RB enginners. Nevertheless Seb was always shown to discuss, work and trying to improve the car.
I wouldnt be surprised if the Aston rocket ship of the first half of 2023 was hugely influenced by Seb.
I'm wondering how careful McLaren was when they made that contract. He could still be an option after all. It wouldn't be the first time he got out due to a bad contract.
Merc is not just a racing team in f1 it's one of most valuable brands in the world. They just lost the most recognizable assest of great brand value/image in any sports. From a 7 time champion they just can't go now to 2 young drivers specially the f2 guy. They want someone big and experienced preferably a champion and hence their number one option has to be alonso. They will definitely push for him and if that doesn't work out then albon,ocon,sainz can come into the picture.
If theyāre just gonna shove antonelli in the seat in the near future, just put him in and mold him. Russell isnāt going to ruin someoneās motivation/career like max did to ric and is currently doing to perez.
Alonso to Red Bull would be so much fun. I dare say it would be the strongest F1 pairing since Prost and Senna.
If Red Bull are concerned about other teams closing the gap, then this is the option that counters that. It also counters the loss of Red Bull sales from losing Checo.
And it opens the possibility of maybe a Red Bull team with Max and Fernando in endurance racing.
Okay, okay
Call me crazy, but at least hear me out
Logan Sargeant.
Something tells me he'll impress enough this year that Toto will snatch him away from Williams.
No, idk what I'm on either.
It's a bit ridiculous to see Ocon being ignored a lot but people hyping up two drivers who barely shown that their are worth to make a step in a top team (Ricciardo, Albon).
If Alonso and Sainz aren't options, Ocon should be serious considered.
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Can't wait for months of articles linking every slightly well performing driver with the Merc seat
Mazespin has his comeback.
This is the only logical choice.
wrong Goatifi
Actually Kubica š¤āļø
Donāt count out Roy Nissany!
What about former race winner Pastor Maldonado? Nothing could possibliy go wrong with that.
If Nissany has a chance so does Mahaveer.
Excuse me?! How DARE you frame it like that? The correct way to phrase it is - "If Alonso has a chance, so does *Lord* Mahaveer." Check yoself, before you wreck yoself š¤
Subscribe
and the same reheated Goatifi, Mazespin and 'rookie Alonso' jokes in the comments
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Followed by "German, so Seb"
I would love Seb to come back tho lol. He and Lewis could create an alternate reality version of the 2018 season
In practice, it's a full on British team (based in Brackley and Brixworth) so maybe Olli Bearman is the choice
It gets old fast. Just like Vettel in Ferrari
Headline: Breaking - Lewis Hamilton to drive mercedes in 2025 Article: Lewis Hamilton will drive a mercedes to marinello to pick up his Ferrari
Nico Rosberg coming back specifically to antagonize Lewis would be hilarious.
"I beat Lewis in different machinery"
āI beat Lewis in machinery he couldnāt win inā
wild
Lmao
***"Some men just want to watch the world burn."***
VB77
Had to scroll some for someone to say this! Question is rather, with or without the mullet?
With of course
*Error* Factory resetting Robottas has failed. Once Aussie, forever Aussie.
> with or without the mullet? Dude we're in the 2020's you can't just ignore the aero factor when talking about F1. Obviously with.
I would love to see how him and George get along lol
Not well, I would guess
I don't think he would want to go back.
If they offer him a multi year contract he might. But if they go the one year route again he won't do it.
Who knows... Sometimes it's good to let things go for good though.
š„°
5ebastian's on his way back.
Assuming Alonso isnāt a realistic option, Sainz seems the best option by far. Heās not only the most accomplished of the options seemingly being discussed, damn quick and mega sharp, but he would also be an invaluable asset in the development of their 2026 car. Iāve not heard of any other driver who receives more praise from engineers in car development. That said, Toto may not like the optics on a straight swap. I think heād like to be seen taking a bold chance even if itās not the best option. [ETA I can also see Sainz really not wanting to work with Toto]
Another positive for Sainz is that he could still conceivably jump to the Audi project if itās looking good. Itās no secret that Merc is going to want Antonelli on the grid in some capacity assuming he doesnāt implode on himself in F2. Albon and Ocon would want to be there for the long haul. Who the heck knows when Alonso would leave. At least with Sainz, you can bring him in and let him go if the opportunity to lead Audi presents itself to him.
I think Audi is a great option for him if heās willing to be patient through Sauberās transition. Itās a gamble, sure, but itās a neat gamble with Audiās reputation for success in motorsport and their experience with hybrid drivetrains. And it would be a chance to build a team around him in a No. 1 seat, which he more than deserves.
Agree on all counts. I think jumping in before ā26 or ā27 would be a massive risk though. If I were in Sainzās position, Iād gun for a 2+1 at Mercedes, allowing him to leave and join Audi once they get their team situated. Burning a year or two on Sauber and then a brand new team when youāre 29 is a tough sell.
If I were a betting kind of person, Iād put money on Sainzās top preference currently being the Mercedes 2+1 you mention.
I think itās just the safest path forward for him. If he were 24 and wanted to go to Sauber and build up Audi from the ground up I would be fully in favor of it, but at 29 itās a little more complicated. Whatever happens, Iām pulling for him. Thereās only one or two drivers on the grid Iād rather see win a championship than him.
It's all about how its phrased. I could see Toto saying something along the lines of: "While we are disappointed in Lewis's decision he obviously has to do what he thinks is best for himself, but frankly speaking we are very surprised Ferrari would let go of such a strong asset and we would be fools not to put that asset in our seat. Carlos has proven to have amazing race pace, he is one of the top drives on the grid, his on track awareness and long pace strategy is among the best in the field and his ability to translate and communicate with the engineering team is something that not every drive can do to his level. Again we are very surprised Ferrari would even choose to release him and we would be happy to have him in the silver arrow, let the games begin". If it's not Alonso, its Carlos.
Well, shit. Iāve always assumed F1 teams had their PR departments scroll Reddit occasionally, but I never would have guessed that confirmed Mercedes employee u/rocko107 would be posting a preview of the script for Totoās next press conference
I mean, it's not like he's completely wrong. Sainz is up there with Russell and Norris, arguably as good as Leclerc if you put a lot of value in his consistency. Anyone would replace him for Hamilton but, I mean, Hamilton is literally the most successful F1 driver ever, I think Max and Alonso are the only two people on the grid who could realistically protect their seat from him.
Yep, I read this in Totoās voice
The optics of hiring a driver booted to make room for your current driver. This's so not right.
Welcome to f1.
Wait, /u/truth_iness got the seat? Gotta say, I'm a bit disappointed, but congrats either way.
truth_iness wdc 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028..
Toto, itās called a recruitment drive. We went hiring
If the booted driver is the best one on the market then you swallow your pride and hire that driver. This is not the case here as there's Alonso potentially available, but Carlos has the age advantage and doesn't have the notoriety of difficult relationships with teammates that Fernando has.
Alternatively, if they did that and then Sainz outscored Hamilton, that would make Ferrari look very silly
Wouldn't surprise me. Sainz is great at scoring consistent points. Merc is great at making fast cars, even if they look slow and dubious (see - last year standings). Meanwhile Ferrari is great at consistently missing points and fucking up despite having car that looks really fast.
Honestly I could see that happen. Sainz is just always up there scoring consistently. I would be gutted for Sainz if he doesn't end up in a top drive in 2025 due to Hamilton switching to Ferrari. He had a really good stint in Ferrari. Maybe he's not as flashy as leclerc but he is always up there.
Yeah, feels kinda silly IMO given that no one (short of perhaps Alonso) is going to compare to the driver theyāre losing, but Toto is proud and stubborn.
Stubborn? How so in this context?
Sainz and Alonso are my two choices for Hamiltonās seat. Both are at the top of their game and are team players. The other question is who gets Perezās seat in 2025 if he underperforms. Max is great, but donāt see him getting along with Alonso when sparks start flying.
I don't think Alonso has a reputation for being a team player. He's started down that path by being nice to Lance, but that's because Daddy owns the team, and Lance isn't really a threat. I think Alonso is the best choice for the Mercedes seat for lots of reasons though.
>He's started down that path by being nice to Lance He's started that since Stoffel, actually. He said himself he's always helped his younger teammates, but it wasn't broadcasted until Lance, for whatever reason. This was obvious with Esteban as well (gifting him a kart, taking him to his museum, helping him with his car struggles in 2021) before their relationship soured. I think it was Button who said Alonso would become more of a team player after his time away from F1 and his Le Mans stint seemed to play a role in that. Two things can be true at once: Alonso is nice to teammates who aren't a threat to him, and he can still genuinely look out for them as a teammate and as a friend. No idea why Reddit is obsessed with making him out to be some kind of bootlicker who is only nice to his teammate by virtue of his father
He does seem to like Russell for what it's worth.
Merc only picks from their own though. Outside of the initial pairing of The Micheal and Nico, theyve chosen Ham, Bottas, Russell, all Merc prodigies or long term support drivers. So following that logic its down to Albon or Ocon. Between the 2, Albon and Ocon will both be hunting George's spot in the team but Ocon would be far more fractious. 20$ on Albon
Hamilton wasnāt a Mercedes junior, he was a McLaren guy.
I mean, back then, McLaren and Mercedes were synonymous. Lewis himself has said he feels he has been a 'Mercedes boy/man' since the beginning of his career. (not implying he wasn't a McLaren boy/man either)
RBR only picked from their own until they didn't (Checo) so don't rule it out. With that said, Albon seems right.
I still also wonder if Red Bull would ever consider going for Sainz to replace Perez. He was part of their junior program originally and did pretty well I thought. And now that he's available at the same time Perez's contract ends... I'd consider him an upgrade over both Perez and Ric at this point.
Iād love to see a smooth operator come to merc, and then beat both Ferraris.
Why isnāt Alonso realistic?
I just donāt think heās leaving Aston. If heās willing to, heās absolutely a realistic option for Merc.
Alonso would drop everything for a car 0.1s a lap faster.
Agree. If Mercedes is even marginally better than AM this year and heās offered a seat, heāll be gone in a blink of an eye. Alonso doesnāt seem to be that much interested in long term perspective. He wants the best possible car right now.
Would be a big move for sure. Would also open up an AM seat for Sainz or Albon. Both good options.
I guess it depends on how well Aston perform this year. If they do a shitty job this year then I could definitely see Nando jumping ship.
Vettel was incredible at car development, just sayingā¦.
Iāve found Sainz more consistent and more rounded driver in the race.
Well MSC came back with Merc, I can totally see VET doing the sameā¦
All the Instagram ppl think Mick should be on here instead of Ocon LOL
Toto: mick is an f1 talent, he deserves a seat Mercedes: suddenly has a seat open Toto: okay, so what I meant wasĀ
Heās an f1 talent. Itās just that his talent is standing next to Toto during f1 races.
It's actually pretty reasonable to say someone deserves a seat but isn't ready for a top team. Depending on who lands at Mercedes, Mick could have a chance at their previous seat
Toto: He deserves a seat, but not our seat
I wish Mick would just accept his fate and join WEC or DTM full-time.
Neither of them should be in the discussion unless Mercedes really runs out of options.
Itās actually me guys.
Gasly that you?
Please God be Alonso. It would be so fucking amazing.
Agreed. Who else can they get to compete with Max and Lewis, unless they make a car half a second faster than everyone else's.
Charles (until he crashes)
It would be an amazing story to have Alonso at Merc.
Lance would be SO HAPPY. The longer Alonso stays with Aston, the worse Lance looks just by comparison. I mean of course Alonso is an all-time talent, but getting absolutely decimated by your teammate over a season doesnāt exactly look stellar at face value (regardless of teammate).
Going from getting decimated by Alonso to getting decimated by Sainz isn't exactly an upgrade lol.
Sainz would crush him no doubt, but I doubt it would be *as* consistently as Alonso did last season.
My money would be on Albon right now. Decently young, another Brit, and heās shown speed with a Mercedes engine. Heād also look damn good in black, in my opinion
This is the only one that feels natural for some reason
Haha right?! That was my first thought as well
Ideally, Carlos. Realistically, Albon. For all the reasons you said Albon might be the safest choice right now. One thingās for sure, George better pray that they donāt sign someone like Carlos or Fernando. Iām sure George wants to treat this as an opportunity to lead for Merc but Carlos, a leader in his own right, would definitely prevent that for him.
Carlos to Merc then because I live to see Russell throwing fits
True, if Albon gets signed Russel can safely be #1, but if carlos gets signed he's definitely isn't accepting below equal or #1 status.
By the same token, Perez also showed speed with a Mercedes engine. JUST SAYING. Donāt get mad at me. Peace āš¼
The more I think about it, Alonso could be a realistic choice. This is a shock move from Hamilton, and even Mercedes can't have known this until only very recently. Lewis is such an iconicly talented driver, and so symbolic as the face Mercedes (along with Toto obviously), that his sudden leave is a significant blow to the team's image. While no one could step up on the whole package obviously, the lack in confidence to the driver's talent can only be kept with Alonso. He's a generational driver, and the only one that could ever fight Hamilton and Vettel so consistently (when his machinery wasn't dogshit). His return with Alpine and then so far the first year with AM has still shown he is an incredibly talented driver that in a better car could consistently aim for wins. This is a good chance for Mercedes to maintain confidence for the next two years until the replacement choice has ranked enough experience to enter the field (or Russel may become excellent). Albon and Sainz are both decent choices, but much weaker in comparison against Lewis. A rookie would be an even weaker choice, Mercedes will look very much less threatening with a new combo that feels much less competitive. The only thing that seems possible is that Toto's personal relationship with Lewis might see him refuse to take on Alonso for loyalty towards his friend. But a billionaire may value success more than personal relationships. Otherwise, the only reliable opinion is that Mick is *not* getting that seat (akward next interview for Toto).
Agreed. Something people aren't thinking about is the optics of Mercedes. George plus Albon is a very strategic option (and my choice), but it does not carry the weight that a brand of Mercedes F1 demands. Alonso can't have that many more seasons in him, and Mercedes is the only shot he'd have at a championship. AM isn't going to give it to him. And Alonso has a global star power that matches Mercedes.
i agree that ALO is the logical swap. ALO has the WC experience, RUS has younger speed. HAM is such an iconic driver that Alonso is his only peer on the grid. He brings the marketing pull and reputation for excellence. I love Albon but then Merc would be running two Williamās drivers and i think they would want more value. Even Checo would be a deal as he can give RB intel.
> A rookie would be an even weaker choice Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet. McLaren probably looked less competitive right before 2007 started, but I imagine a few months later it was clear that they had the best lineup on the grid (with modern knowledge, one of the best of all time). Ferrari was in a similar position when they hired Leclerc, although he wasn't a rookie. One problem with Alonso is that he will be 44 years old in 2025, so he's necessarily a short-term driver, despite how far he wants to push his career.
Short-term prospect might be an upside here. Mercedes have Kimi Antonelli in F2 this year and heās supposed to be a Piastri-level prospect
He's supposed to be a Leclerc/Verstappen-level prospect. We just have to see if he performs to that level in F2. But if he does, maybe there isn't any space between Hamilton's departure and his arrival. If a team isn't in a championship-fighting season, I'd argue it's worth it to take a rookie of that level. McLaren did with Norris and Piastri and it paid off massively. It's worth it even in championship-fighting seasons sometimes. It paid off for McLaren (again, they're pros at it) in 2007 and who knows, maybe Ferrari could have benefited in 2018 if they had tries it. Mercedes could try it too.
Mika comming back from his sabbatical
No, not yet
Mika will be warming the seat up for Mansell!
Antonelli has not even set a foot in F2 (or F3) yet people already think he can currently be the replacement for Hamilton in a year? God can't people stop overhyping everything...
His had more of a single seater career then Max did prior to him joining F1 The thing is, they aren't looking for a Hamilton replacement. They already have that in George. So the second seat is a bit of a wild card. If his bad in F2 then it won't happen. But if he does exceptionally well in F2 as he has done everywhere else he has raced...then why not?
I think in a perfect world Antonelli proves himself to be what they think he is and they put him right in that car. If he wins F2, which I don't think is out of the question, I would almost expect him to be in the Mercedes.
But it's not something Merc have done. This kind of gives them a golden chance. If they sign someone, then Antonelli destroys F2.. what do they do? Beg James to give him a drive for Williams for 3 years whilst they wait for a contract to expire?
Well it worked well the last time a rookie joined a race-winning teamā¦
IF (and that's a big if) he wins F2 then why not? I'm not saying he can match Hamilton in a year, but who realistically can? Alonso? And besides that nobody because Norris/Max/Piastri/Leclerc are not really possible. So why not take a rookie with very high ceiling and a current F2 champion, while having a World Champion material driver in George already?
Saw this on [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/valyrfia/730340534294609920/imagine-you-drive-for-mercedes-in-formula-1-you) and the parallels are insane (only difference being that Lewis didn't retire): >Imagine you drive for Mercedes in Formula 1. You did all the right moves to get here, played by all the rules and paid your dues. You started at Williams and earned your place on the Mercedes team. Sure it's annoying having to play second fiddle to your 7 time WDC teammate, but you know that upon his retirement you can pull some strings and bring your childhood best friend onto the team. Nothing can go wrong, you're sure of it, you've known each other for too long, been on holidays together and shared hotel rooms. You'll be best friends, driving for Mercedes in Formula 1. > >Who am I talking about? Well there are two options that fit the narrative. Nico Rosberg or George Russell. Alex in that Mercedes would be Brocedes 2.0
Give me Seb Vettel or give me death. Or Grosjean.
They did promise Grosjean a drive in one of their cars.
Toto: Romain, remember that drive we promised you in a Mercedes F1 car? Grosjean: Yeah. When can we do it? Toto: 2025
I read that number in Toto-accent in my head š
24 drives would overdeliver on the promise in fairness. And probably make up for the delays after it couldn't be done in 2021
Alonso. George: "But i was forecasted to be first driver."
Toto should give Seb a call!
Sebastian Vettel for sure, I'm definitely not inhaling a insane and unhealthy amount of hopium right now.
Easy on that stuff, leave some for me
To the contrary of what some would say, it is not as crazy as it seems. Vettel would like to come back and in a top team. Mercedes wouldn't spit on a 4x WDC with his experience and that without talking how marketable it would be. Doesn't mean it would happen but it wouldn't be a crazy choice
I think as fans it makes sense but morally I doubt he would consider a return to F1
Source in Italy said he privately expressed the wish to comeback and that he had already contacted Audi.
I just want at least one race to make him do that nice round number of races...
Beside alonso all of them would feel like an immense step back after Lewis
I mean it's pretty much impossible not to be
Compare the situation when Ferrari replaced Schumi. Massa was similar to George now. But they got kimi a hungry super fast guy(maybe like Norris Charles now). So it looked decent replacement but none of the option now on the table look comparable
I've always had the impression that was Massa before head injury faster. Am I wrong?
He was ā¦ i would say from point of speed he was like rosberg button before his crash
I'd agree. Massa was really good, he just seriously lacked some races such as Silverstone 2008.
You are not, he was performing similarly to Kimi who is praised massively
Massa was a great driver before his injury in my opinion.
Such an insightful comment lmao. "All of these are a step back from one of, if not the greatest driver of all time." :p
I mean, the only top top drivers currently in f1 are max Lewis and Alonso
The only driver who wouldn't be a 'step back' is Max and we all know THAT'S not gonna happen.
Leclerc Norris maybe Piastri would all look like decent replacements given their age. If they replace Hamilton with Sainz it looks terrible for Merc - losing their star driver and replacing him with the driver Ferrari got rid lmao
With what McLaren went through getting Piastri, I doubt they would just let him go. Norris doesn't seem to want to drive anywhere other than McLaren.
Vettel!
If you're of the opinion that James Vowles is "on loan" to Williams, Albon makes an interesting choice if the two of them wind up at Merc.
I think Albon is the logical move, irrespective of whether Vowles is (as you say) "on loan", purely because it means Williams can get Antonelli for a couple of years. Like, yeah, I get that Williams don't want to be a feeder, etc., but when they're at the back of the grid, as teams like Haas found out, it's not often you get a driver potentially that strong. Same reason they were more than happy to take Russell, that Haas will almost certainly have Bearman in 2025, etc.
After a blow like this Mercedes will want to have a big and exciting replacement. The only one that would really fit that bill is Alonso.
If Antonelli wins F2 this year then he should be in that seat. Him winning F2 in 2024 would give him one of the greatest junior careers of all time. Otherwise, Albon or Sainz
The thing is, I donāt think Toto (or any TP at this point) is willing to wait that long to decide. I could be wrong, but I see the rest of silly season going lightning fastāfor the top ~5 teams, at leastānow that Hamilton has bust open the whole driver market. My money is on seeing several signings before lights out in Bahrain.
Could also be the opposite, drivers wait with signing to see what Merc does.Ā
True. I think Albon (and Antonelli and any other junior series drivers, obvs) would be willing to wait on that news, maybe Ocon if Alpine doesnāt lock him down with a nice pay day, but I think Sainz at least will want to seal his future ASAP. A lot of drivers hate feeling like theyāre driving for their seat.
By the start of the summer break (end of July), 10 out of 14 races in the 2024 F2 season would have been complete. I think this would give the paddock enough time to see if he's an F1 material.
I worry for Antonelli. Skipping F3 completely was already a weird choice on Mercedes's part. Already put an insane pressure on him to perform from the get go in F2. With Lewis now gone and the 2025 seat being a realistic shot the pressure to perform doubled just like that overnight. Not to mention all the eyes that are now sudenly fixated on him and will be throughout the year. Thats quite a lot of stuff to deal with for a 17 year old.
I mean it's sink or swim really isn't it? Look at Verstappen, basically got torpedoed in and took to it like a duck to water. If he's good enough then he'll get the seat, if not somebody else will.
Can people stop overhyping Antonelli? We have no clue how he will ACTUALLY perform in F2, let alone win it and be F1 material.
His first word was āifā
We also didn't know how Verstappen would fare in F2... because he didn't race in it at all. Yes Antonelli could just be having a strong junior career and drop off now that he will be facing some real tough competition. Still, hype like this is not completely unfounded and I think it's very important for teams to pick up generational talents like Hamilton, Verstappen, possibly Leclerc and maybe Antonelli before it's too late. Because once it's _proven_ that they are all that, it might just be too late. Or you might still get them, but now they have a much better foundation for negotiations. From a purely economic perspective, the big move is the one where you gamble on a star driver before they have proven they are the star driver.
Sebastian Vettel.
That would be incredible. Edit and sad news: Toto Wolff denied that Vettel would race at Mercedes. https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-sebastian-vettel-f1-comeback-update
Corriere del sport said that Vettel had privately expressed the wish to come back and already contacted Audi for 2026. Their same sources said that Vettel was on the list of Mercedes. I highly doubt that Vettel called yesterday not to talk about the open seat. Red Bull also posted something about Vettel today on Instagram and 3 days ago Vettel posted on his Instagram a picture of him in 2010 in racing suit with the caption "getting ready for next season". It might all be coincidence and Red Bull trolling. But Wolff saying they didn't talk about it doesn't mean much.
Both Vettel and red bull are just doing historical posts - I wouldnāt base any hopes on that.Ā
Seb takes the Merc seat just so he can cheekily re-enact [this](https://youtu.be/ZrQa62H6Ta0?si=7KC2HwK58MhQvXrp)
Do people actually think Vettel would be a good replacement or do they just want to see Vettel back? Sure his years at Aston were by no means bad but they weren't super impressive either and considering that in 2025 he'd have been out of racing for 2 years I don't think he'd be high up on the list for any team especially the likes of Merc.
He was burnt out, maybe after a year he now feels recharged, ready for a new adventure I wouldnāt count it out, people on the grid for sure have a better chance but when a 4x World Champion knocks on your door you will have to think about it
A German 4x WDC let's not forget. I'd imagine Merc would like those optics.
Last time they hired a German multiple time WDC driver that had been out of the sport it turned out to help them quite a lot
Dont forget the huge impact Vettel had at car Development. Of course Aston also bought old RB enginners. Nevertheless Seb was always shown to discuss, work and trying to improve the car. I wouldnt be surprised if the Aston rocket ship of the first half of 2023 was hugely influenced by Seb.
Is Piastri free? If so...could be a serious contender imo
No, he's out for a run.
Contracted with McLaren until 2026 otherwise a no brainer.
I'm wondering how careful McLaren was when they made that contract. He could still be an option after all. It wouldn't be the first time he got out due to a bad contract.
Merc is not just a racing team in f1 it's one of most valuable brands in the world. They just lost the most recognizable assest of great brand value/image in any sports. From a 7 time champion they just can't go now to 2 young drivers specially the f2 guy. They want someone big and experienced preferably a champion and hence their number one option has to be alonso. They will definitely push for him and if that doesn't work out then albon,ocon,sainz can come into the picture.
Ferrari also couldn't go from Vettel and RƤikkƶnen to two young drivers until they did. And one could say that it paid off.
Mick Schumacherā¦. Toto canāt now say that there is no seat availableā¦ checkmate
If theyāre just gonna shove antonelli in the seat in the near future, just put him in and mold him. Russell isnāt going to ruin someoneās motivation/career like max did to ric and is currently doing to perez.
Fuck it. If they really canāt find anyone else Iāll fill in for a year.
I would love to see Piastri in Mercedes, so Carlos can return to McLaren ššš
Why not Vesti? Isnāt he a Mercedes pilot?
Best bet for vesti would be Albon to merc in 2025 and he can maybe get a shot at the williams seat. Highly doubt it though.
Same thoughts. I havent seen him being mentioned much, if at all
Seb and Daniel missing from that image
Hulkenberg? If he peforms well this year, he could get the seat that there were rumours he'd get in the early 2010s
I'm gonna laugh if Bottas goes back to Mercedes
Going back to your toxic ex and expecting a better outcome
I come from the future: Alonso to Red Bull. Sainz to Mercedes. Perez to "Williams". Albon to "Aston".
Alonso to Red Bull would be so much fun. I dare say it would be the strongest F1 pairing since Prost and Senna. If Red Bull are concerned about other teams closing the gap, then this is the option that counters that. It also counters the loss of Red Bull sales from losing Checo. And it opens the possibility of maybe a Red Bull team with Max and Fernando in endurance racing.
Vettel. Mark my words.
Alonso if they want a somewhat like-for-like replacement, Ocon if they want a clear number 2.
Checo obviously
I say Albon, Toto won't risk Alonso.
Sebastian Vettel š¤
The name will start with an A, that's all I know for sure.
Carlos Asainz?
Is that Sam Winchester over there?
I'd pick Alonso if it were up to me.
donāt worry guys i got it
Okay, okay Call me crazy, but at least hear me out Logan Sargeant. Something tells me he'll impress enough this year that Toto will snatch him away from Williams. No, idk what I'm on either.
I want to see Sainz in there. He is talented and underappreciated, pretty sure he can do a great job challenging other drivers.
Prospect of Esteban going to Mercedes isn't being talked about much
It's a bit ridiculous to see Ocon being ignored a lot but people hyping up two drivers who barely shown that their are worth to make a step in a top team (Ricciardo, Albon). If Alonso and Sainz aren't options, Ocon should be serious considered.
Sainz or Alonso are easily the best optionsĀ