Toto Wolff has a variety of choices available to him when it comes to selecting a replacement for Lewis Hamilton next season as he prepares to join Ferrari.
The news of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari in 2025 came as a complete surprise, especially considering both the driver and the team denied the rumors last year.
On Thursday evening, it was officially announced that Hamilton will be leaving Mercedes at the end of the 2024 season to make the switch to Ferrari, having signed a long-term contract.
This means that Carlos Sainz, who currently drives for Ferrari, will be left without a seat for the upcoming season.
As a result, Mercedes now faces the task of finding a suitable candidate to replace the 103-time race winner for the 2025 season.
Fortunately, with several drivers’ contracts set to expire in 2024, Mercedes has a wide range of options to choose from as they search for a new teammate for George Russell.
One potential option, which is also the most obvious choice, is Carlos Sainz.
Sainz has already achieved race victories and was the only non-Red Bull driver to win a race in 2023 at the Singapore Grand Prix.
He is a highly skilled driver who received praise last year for his consistent performances, which is a quality Mercedes will require in their new driver, given Hamilton’s reliability.
While Sainz may not possess the same level of raw speed as Hamilton or Russell, he has proven himself to be an exceptional second driver and could even exceed expectations without the pressure of the Tifosi.
Another driver whose contract expires in 2024 and is being considered by multiple teams is Alex Albon.
Both Red Bull and Alpine have expressed interest in the Thai driver, and there is a possibility that he could make a move to Brackley as he currently drives for a customer Mercedes team, Williams.
At 27 years old, Albon is entering the peak of his career and has demonstrated his ability to lead a team.
He consistently scored points for Williams in 2023 and frequently made it into the top qualifying session (Q3), indicating that he could consistently compete for significant points in a Mercedes.
If Mercedes is looking for a temporary solution, Fernando Alonso could be the ideal driver to sign.
The two-time World Champion’s contract with Aston Martin expires at the end of 2024, and although he is reportedly interested in staying with the Silverstone-based team, it would be unwise for him to turn down an offer from team principal Toto Wolff.
Moving to Mercedes could be Alonso’s last opportunity to compete for victories and potentially even a championship, especially considering the new power unit regulations that will come into effect in 2026.
Mercedes may also be considering a short-term driver option to allow the highly talented Kimi Antonelli to gain more experience.
Antonelli, who is only 17 years old, is a Mercedes junior driver and the reigning FRECA Champion. He is set to make the jump to Formula 2 this year with PREMA Racing.
He is widely regarded as the next big talent in Formula 1 and has been compared to Max Verstappen in terms of potential. If he performs well in his debut F2 season, there is a chance that Mercedes could take a risk and promote Antonelli directly into Hamilton’s seat.
McLaren had a stroke of luck in 2007 when they immediately placed Hamilton in their team after he won the 2006 GP2 title. Perhaps Mercedes can replicate that success with Antonelli.