Formula 1: Mercedes boss Toto Wolff will be keeping watch for another driver when Lewis Hamilton, at last, chooses to call time on his F1 career. The seven-time title holder is contracted to the Silver Arrows till the end of the following year yet, at 37 years old, will certainly have one eye on his post-F1 profession. We take a look at the four drivers who can replace him at Mercedes. Follow Formula 1 updates on InsideSport.IN
Formula 1: Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin stunned the F1 world before this week when they reported that Fernando Alonso would take over from Sebastian Vettel from next season. Alonso has marked a long-term agreement with Aston Martin. However, would probably seize the opportunity to join Mercedes when Hamilton quits.
BREAKING: Fernando Alonso will join Aston Martin from 2023 on a multi-year contract #F1 pic.twitter.com/dfwktaMk6F
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 1, 2022
The Spaniard brought home F1 titles back in 2005 and 2006 and is set to move ahead of Kimi Raikkonen with the most Grand Prix appearances this year. Alonso looks as eager as could be expected to prevail in F1 and could end up in with a third title should the Silver Arrows come calling.
Formula 1: Max Verstappen
Red Bull ace Max Verstappen is the best F1 driver on the planet right now and came out on top for his first F1 title last year when he got the better of Hamilton at the season-decider in Abu Dhabi. The Dutchman has since marked another agreement with the Austrian group worth £45million-a-year and is on course to come out on top for a second championship this season as he tops the Drivers’ Championship standings by some way.
Meanwhile, Mercedes weren’t competitive in the early races of this season however have worked as of late. What’s more, in the event that they’re significant about bringing home championships in the years to come, they might be enticed to make a move for Verstappen.
Valtteri Bottas
If Wolff has any desire to replace Hamilton with a current F1 driver, he might have more possibility of landing Valtteri Bottas for a second time. Bottas was colleagues with Hamilton at Mercedes for a long time before he was replaced by George Russell ahead of the 2022 season.
BREAKING: Valtteri Bottas will join Alfa Romeo in 2022, paving the way for George Russell to replace him at Mercedes 🔄 pic.twitter.com/zKSHhfbhEe
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) September 6, 2021
During his tenure with the Silver Arrows, the Finn two times completed second in the Drivers’ Championship standings and finished third in another two events. Furthermore, he assisted Mercedes with coming out on top for the Constructors’ Championship consistently when he was with them.
Nico Rosberg
Wolff could go for a left-field choice with regards to replacing Hamilton and could attempt to bait Nico Rosberg back to the track. Rosberg brought home his first F1 title in 2016 before deciding to call it quits.
Be that as it may, he’s indicated about returning previously and could take up where he left out on the off chance that the Silver Arrows offered him a chance to do as such.
