Do you hear that? The whirring pontificate within the distance? That is System One’s hearsay mill, and it has been working extra time to meet up with final week’s shock information that Lewis Hamilton will depart Mercedes on the finish of this yr and transfer to Ferrari.

Hamilton will depart behind a gaping gap in Mercedes’ driver lineup in addition to an intriguing storyline as staff boss Toto Wolff makes an attempt to fill it. In fact, only a few can match the seven-time world champion’s driving potential and nobody on the grid can match his advertising attraction, however Wolff stated Friday that the state of affairs is “an opportunity to do one thing daring.” George Russell represents a really secure pair of arms and is beneath contract till the top of 2025, which means Mercedes may take a punt on a second driver within the data they are going to have a really excessive benchmark to measure in opposition to.

Wolff admitted that the timing of Hamilton’s announcement had “bitten” the staff as Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris just lately dedicated their futures to Ferrari and McLaren, respectively, however there are nonetheless at the very least 5 very succesful candidates accessible in a single type or one other.

Age: 29
Nationality: Spain
Race wins: 2
Contract standing: Signed for Ferrari till the top of 2024
Why he is a match: As stable of a contender as you will discover and in want of a drive in 2025
Why he is not: Audi could show extra a extra interesting vacation spot

It is honest to say that nobody had “Sainz to Mercedes in 2025” on their driver-market bingo card firstly of this yr, however with Hamilton taking the Spanish driver’s place at Ferrari subsequent yr, the two-time race winner has to grow to be a chance as a straight swap. Sainz is a stable racer with a monitor file of measuring up respectably in opposition to powerful teammates, together with Leclerc, Norris and Max Verstappen. Is that actually what Mercedes wants, although?

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In Russell, the staff already has a confirmed race winner who’s 4 years youthful than Sainz and already embedded within the organisation. Would not a youthful driver be a greater guess long run?

For Sainz, Mercedes might not be the best choice, both.

He has been linked with a transfer to Audi when the German producer completes its takeover of Sauber and joins F1 as a full works staff in 2026. His former McLaren boss Andreas Seidl is CEO on the staff and would be capable of provide Sainz the chance to be a part of the constructing course of from 2025 onward. With all of the difficulties {that a} new staff coming into the game faces, Sainz would be capable of provide loads of expertise from his time working for 4 totally different F1 outfits in addition to the huge technical data he brings to Ferrari. In return, he would get a staff largely constructed round him, one thing he’s unlikely to obtain at Mercedes so long as Russell is within the fold.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli

Age: 17
Nationality: Italy
Race wins: 0
Contract standing: Mercedes junior driver
Why he is a match: He represents the long-term future for Mercedes
Why he is not: Speeding him into F1 comes with immense strain

In the event you’re ok, you are sufficiently old. That was the philosophy when Purple Bull fast-tracked Verstappen to F1 on the age of 17, and it might nicely apply to Mercedes’ prodigious expertise Antonelli.

Born in 2006, Antonelli was scouted by Mercedes on the age of 11 and joined the staff’s junior programme in April 2019. A collection of European go-kart titles confirmed what Mercedes had hoped concerning the younger Italian, and on the finish of 2021 he acquired his first style of automobile racing in Italian System 4. F4 titles in Italy and Germany adopted in 2022 earlier than he gained the System Regional European Championship final yr. This yr, he’ll skip System 3 to make his debut in System 2, and the early indicators from testing are all very promising.

Let’s not get forward of ourselves, although. Whereas a completely ready Antonelli would neatly clear up Mercedes’s driver conundrum, loads can occur throughout a rookie season in F2 — good, dangerous and unfortunate. Russell, Leclerc and Oscar Piastri all gained the title at their first try, however all three additionally had a yr to arrange in F3. Nothing is assured for Antonelli at this stage. Mercedes can be cautious of the strain an open F1 seat will heap on such younger shoulders and is decided to not create a self-defeating prophecy.

“I feel most essential at that stage is he focuses on F2,” Wolff stated when requested about Antonelli as a candidate. “If we begin to spin his thoughts or unleash rumours, that is not going to assist his F2 marketing campaign. He is simply stepped out of karts just a few years in the past. He is not even 18. I’d quite not begin any hypothesis about Kimi going into F1 at this stage.”

One other subject with monitoring Antonelli’s progress in F2 is that different choices on this listing could get signed as much as rival groups earlier than Mercedes is able to decide. However, if Antonelli wins F2, the principles imply he can not race a second yr within the collection and F1 can be the subsequent logical step.

Age: 27
Nationality: Thailand
Race wins: 0
Contract standing: Signed for Williams till the top of 2025
Why he is a match: A seemingly good match for the staff alongside his greatest mate Russell
Why he is not: Beneath contract for 2025 and will have his head turned by Purple Bull

A detailed good friend of Russell and a genuinely fast driver caught in a lower-ranked staff, Albon seems to be the right candidate for Mercedes in 2025, however there is a catch: his contract with Williams consists of the 2025 season.

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“Alex is signed in Williams till the top of 2025, that is signed,” his Williams boss James Vowles stated on Monday. “It is not one thing I have been public about as a result of I do not really feel the necessity to. Any reviews you are seeing, that particular person is speculating, at greatest. As I’ve additionally stated publicly, it is our job at Williams to create an setting that deserves somebody of the calibre of Alex, so simple as that, I nonetheless preserve that.”

Everyone knows contracts in F1 will be damaged, although, particularly when the worth is true. In 2017, Mercedes paid roughly $12.5 million to launch Valtteri Bottas from a Williams contract after Nico Rosberg’s retirement left the staff flat-footed on the finish of 2016. Whereas Vowles’s Plan A is to make Williams profitable sufficient to persuade Albon to remain, he did trace that his thoughts could possibly be modified by a deal that boosted the long-term way forward for his staff past 2025.

“With the state of affairs with Alex, would I stand in his approach,” Vowles requested. “I’ve the duty at Williams for for much longer [than 2025], that is an important factor to me, it isn’t the duty in the direction of one particular person — on this case Alex — it is the duty in the direction of the staff, so ought to any resolution go that approach, it is as a result of I am very clear in my thoughts that I’ve made selections with the staff’s long-term purpose in thoughts, not quick.”

Nevertheless, Albon may additionally have choices elsewhere, together with his outdated staff Purple Bull, who’re recognized to be considering him if Sergio Pérez continues to underperform alongside Verstappen this yr. Albon will flip 28 in March, and whereas he nonetheless has loads of time left in his profession, his subsequent transfer shall be essential in proving he isn’t just an underrated expertise however a title contender on the identical stage as Russell, Norris and Leclerc.

Age: 42
Nationality: Spain
Race wins: 32
Contract state of affairs: Signed for Aston Martin till the top of 2024
Why he is a match: Probably the most full driver accessible
Why he is not: Age and his historical past with Mercedes

If Mercedes desires somebody able to driving on Hamilton’s stage, with a reputation that resonates world wide and a few world championship trophies to show these credentials, Wolff want look no additional than Alonso. All through final season, Alonso proved that he has misplaced none of his velocity or potential, and his podiums for Aston Martin eliminated all doubt that he may struggle for wins and championships given a automobile to take action.

In line with Alonso, he held talks with Mercedes in 2017 after Rosberg retired from F1 however, clearly, they did not result in a contract. In an interview later that yr, Alonso claimed he was the one who lower the conversations quick as he was dedicated to McLaren, however Wolff later clarified that Alonso’s “historical past” with Mercedes meant he was not a consideration at the moment.

That historical past refers to Alonso’s half within the 2007 “spygate” scandal by which his falling-out with McLaren-Mercedes staff boss Ron Dennis led the FIA to reopen its investigation into the staff’s possession of confidential Ferrari paperwork. McLaren, which was 40% owned by Mercedes on the time, was discovered responsible, fined $100 million and kicked out of the 2007 constructors’ championship. Whether or not sufficient water has handed beneath the bridge within the intervening 17 years stays to be seen, nevertheless it’s additionally not the one issue stopping a Mercedes-Alonso tie up.

Alonso’s begin to the 2023 season with Aston Martin was superior to that of the Mercedes drivers and he completed fourth within the championship, 31 factors away from eighth-placed Russell and 28 shy of Hamilton in third. Does Mercedes nonetheless signify the step ahead that Alonso needs within the late autumn of his profession? Or would a renewal with Aston Martin, which says it sees him staying on the staff past 2024, be a greater path towards the elusive thirty third win and third world championship he so needs?

Age: 27
Nationality: France
Race wins: 1
Contract standing: Signed for Alpine till the top of 2024
Why he is a match: A recognized amount for Mercedes
Why he is not: Lacks the star energy of among the others on this listing

Though he has pushed for Alpine since 2020 (or Renault, because it was recognized in his first season with the staff), Ocon stays loosely in Mercedes’s orbit by his administration staff. His junior profession and first steps into F1 had been overseen by Mercedes, however he was by no means fairly in the best place on the proper time to make the step as much as the total F1 staff. When he left the junior programme for Renault, his intention was to be part of the staff that returns the French marque to the entrance of the grid, however like another drivers on this listing, he could really feel the necessity for a change if he begins one other season slowed down within the midfield.

His time at Mercedes means Wolff is aware of Ocon’s strengths and weaknesses, so whether or not he turns into a severe candidate will ship deep perception into his potential to be recognised as a top-tier F1 driver. Ocon’s teammate Pierre Gasly shall be on the finish of his preliminary two-year contract with Alpine come the top of this season, however Ocon’s administration means he would doubtless get the nod if it ever got here right down to a straight resolution between the 2.

Left-field selections

This listing has tried to slender down on the probably candidates for the job, however after all of the shocks of the offseason, it appears acceptable to enter into some barely wilder hypothesis.

Within the eyes of many followers, Daniel Ricciardo may deserve a extra outstanding place on this listing, however he has made clear that his goal is a Purple Bull drive in 2025 to interchange Pérez. Though he and Mercedes held talks prior to now, they by no means bore fruit, and at 34 he would solely doubtless be seen as a stopgap whereas Antonelli matures.

He solely left the staff two years in the past, however Bottas is out of contract once more on the finish of this yr. A return appears unlikely for each staff and driver, and he stated on Monday at Sauber’s launch occasion that he had not spoken to Wolff for the reason that Hamilton information broke. Bottas added that he stays dedicated to the long-term Audi mission at Sauber, however stated if he’s unable to proceed the place he’s, “there is no staff that I would not go. I do know my priorities and I’ve acquired my listing.”

As Mercedes’ reserve driver, Mick Schumacher can be first in line to drive the automobile if both Russell or Hamilton are unable to sooner or later this yr, however that does not make him a front-runner for the seat in 2025. Maybe if he had been to get a one-off drive this yr and impress beneath strain, he may throw his title into the ring, however the outcomes of his temporary F1 profession do not stack up in opposition to the opposite names on this listing.

And now for one thing fully totally different: Sebastian Vettel. Though he retired from F1 on the finish of 2022, Vettel was one of many first drivers to name Aston Martin staff principal Mike Krack when it appeared like Lance Stroll wasn’t going to be match for the 2023 season opener. In fact, he had a a lot nearer hyperlink to Aston Martin having pushed for the staff throughout the earlier season, however the considered a single-year return with Mercedes — the staff childhood hero Michael Schumacher made his personal comeback with in 2010 — should have at the very least crossed Vettel’s thoughts when Hamilton introduced his information.