Hamilton supreme signed a unique two-Twelve months take care of Mercedes for 2024 and 2025 closing summer season, but clearly left wiggle room for the identical outdated exit clauses in case he had a substitute of heart.
And as Ferrari confirmed Charles Leclerc’s new contract but dragged its feet over giving Carlos Sainz a the same extension, it turns out Hamilton being on the table has made the Scuderia notify twice over its future driver line-up.
With Leclerc and Hamilton each broken-down proteges of crew boss Fred Vasseur, while Sainz used to be considered as a Mattia Binotto rent, Ferrari’s driver line-up now seems to be well poised for Maranello’s dispute to drop Crimson Bull. However it undoubtedly has moreover left a hole at Mercedes at a most inconvenient time.
Had Hamilton’s slip been rubber-stamped any earlier, Mercedes might perhaps well agree with had extra alternate suggestions to play with on the driver market. However Hamilton’s impending switch has been preceded by several excessive-profile contract renewals that took key pieces off the board.
Leclerc, who is determined to accomplice the seven-time world champion from 2025 onwards, would presumably were a key goal for the Silver Arrows. And with Max Verstappen firmly locked in at Crimson Bull, there are no longer too many various confirmed names which shall be readily accessible in 2025.
Mercedes would agree with had a authorized gaze at McLaren’s pairing Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, but after the Australian extended closing Twelve months Norris moreover as of late set apart pen to paper on a deal that will serve him at McLaren for 2026 and presumably beyond.
So, who else might perhaps well per chance Mercedes slip for?
There used to be initial excitement on social media about Mercedes’ prodigy Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who is debuting in Formula 2 this Twelve months after being swiftly-tracked thru the junior ladder following a single, championship winning season in FRECA.
However even supposing there is a precedent in F1 with Kimi Raikkonen and Verstappen, promoting the now 17-Twelve months-aged after appropriate three years in vehicles seems to be to be fanciful and against Mercedes’ outdated younger driver coverage.
Following his F2 title George Russell used to be farmed out to Williams for 3 seasons of learning the ropes sooner than re-becoming a member of his mum or dad crew. And even supposing Antonelli delivers on his promise in F2 authorized away, a the same slip is seemingly to be extra helpful for the starlet’s prolonged-term occupation.
So, if Russell-Antonelli is considered as Mercedes’ future, then who on the whole is a cease-hole signing for no no longer as much as 2025 and 2026?
If there is one free agent whose inventory has risen in most modern years, it has to be Williams’ Alex Albon. Now a critical stronger driver than when he used to be burnt by an early promotion to Crimson Bull, Albon has played an instrumental role within the Williams restoration course of.
He scored all but one in all the crew’s 28 functions in 2023 to pull the crew up from 10th to seventh within the constructors’ championship, and has been praised for his blossoming leadership qualities.
Feeble 27 and coming off the support of his strongest ever season in F1, Albon’s mix of waddle and maturity would comprise him an astute signing. Russell and Albon’s prolonged-time friendship might perhaps well silent on paper lend a hand provide Mercedes with a harmonious pairing.
When requested by Autosport closing Twelve months about his expiring deal, Albon acknowledged: “I notify I agree with the boldness in myself to serve myself originate.
“Being fully supreme, I are searching for to survey this crew and I are searching for to be section of a crew that brings this crew forward. I’m completely committed to the crew till my contract somewhat critical ends.
“However I’m moreover 27 and I lift out feel love I’m in a authorized section of my occupation. In the occasion you bought but any other Twelve months I’m 28, then 29 going onto 30 rapidly.
“I are searching for to give myself the likelihood so as to fight for wins and fight for podiums. And what it comes down to is, at that time and in that time, can we bring this crew to be that crew?”
But one more suited pair of fingers, with flee winning credentials no less, is the evident swap of Hamilton with the driver he replaces, Carlos Sainz.
Sainz has traded blows with Ferrari crew-mate Leclerc rather evenly in 2023, with each drivers taking half in dominant spells sooner than ending on a the same functions tally. The Spaniard’s crafty victory Singapore, gifting Ferrari the explicit non-Crimson Bull purchase of the Twelve months, has moreover underlined his racing intelligence that can per chance presumably comprise him a practical asset to Mercedes or any various squad.
Because the mud from Hamilton’s sensational slip settles, Sainz’s manager is mostly on the phone to Mercedes chief Toto Wolff about making it a straight swap.
A third, per chance less seemingly, probability would rekindle Wolff’s relationship with one in all his various broken-down proteges. Sooner than Russell used to be earmarked as Hamilton’s heir, Esteban Ocon used to be Wolff’s and Mercedes’ indispensable man for the future.
And while the Frenchman chanced on his feet with first Manor after which Pressure India/Racing Point, Ocon acted as Brackley’s reserve driver till he left the Mercedes household by signing with Renault, now Alpine.
It’s miles no longer fully definite how excessive Ocon’s inventory silent is at Brackley, but at the equivalent age as Albon and with an spectacular flee purchase in Hungary on his belt, Ocon affords a the same mix of formative years and ride that can per chance presumably entice Mercedes, at least till Antonelli is ready.
Out of the free agent alternate suggestions, basically the most eminent signing would be two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, who will moreover be out of contract at Aston Martin after exhibiting he has lost nothing of his skill in a outstanding 2023 campaign with eight podiums.
Changing one world champion with but any other on the whole is a animated prospect for Mercedes, at the same time as Alonso would perhaps be 43 at the origin of the 2025 season.
However Hamilton’s slip is a stark reminder that F1 contracts are in most cases no longer as watertight as they look. Presumably Mercedes might perhaps well presumably but rep a approach to entice a accurate establish and motive a switch shock of its have.