Following reports about Lewis Hamilton’s replacement, 70% of the current Formula 1 grid is expected to be without a contract for the 2025 season.
Speculations are swirling about the future of the current Formula One grid, with reports suggesting that a staggering seventy percent of drivers may find themselves without a contract for the 2025 season. The main cause of this uncertainty is the ongoing speculation surrounding the potential replacement for the legendary Lewis Hamilton. Last week, rumours began to spread about a potential move to Ferrari in 2025.
The 2024 F1 season will start with the Bahrain Grand Prix, which will take place in March. So, by Thursday night it was widely reported that Hamilton would be departing from Mercedes following the conclusion of the 2024 season. Since then, all the speculation has been about who Mercedes might bring in to replace Hamilton ahead of the 2025 season.
So far, Alexander Albon, Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso, and Lando Norris all been connected with a move to the Silver Arrows. Ahead of the 2025 season, it has been estimated that 70% of the current grid will be out of contract when the 2024 season ends, implying that they might all be on Mercedes’ list of potential Hamilton replacements.
Carlos Sainz
The only non-Red Bull GP winner last year, Carlos Sainz, could be up for the grab. A direct swap could be Mercedes’ most obvious move. Sainz was out of contract with Ferrari at the end of this year and will now hunt for a new team in 2025.
Sainz has won two races, most recently in Singapore last year, and has finished on the podium 18 times in his nine-year career in Formula One. The 29-year-old will be seeking for his sixth club, after previously driving for Toro Rosso, Renault, and McLaren before joining Ferrari.
Fernando Alonso
Who hasn’t the two-time world champion driven for? Mercedes is one of such teams.The 42-year-old was a revelation in his maiden season with Aston Martin last year, finishing fourth in the drivers’ championship with eight podium finishes.
Despite his age, the Spaniard shows no indications of retiring just yet, and a switch to the Silver Arrows might provide him with one more, realistic chance at a third world title.
Sergio Perez
Sergio Perez, another individual who is expected to be out of work by the end of 2024, has a contract with Red Bull that ends at the end of the next season.An extension is improbable at this juncture, given the margin to teammate Max Verstappen last year, as Christian Horner’s squad seeks to maximise points with the fastest car on the grid.
Rumours circulated last year that the Mexican could retire after leaving Red Bull. If he decides not to continue after this year, which will be his 14th consecutive season in the sport, Perez may want to contact Wolff and Mercedes.
Lando Norris
Has the Brit reacted too soon? The 24-year-old signed a new long-term contract with McLaren earlier Wednesday, taking him until 2025 with the papaya and into the next age of regulatory changes.
However, Norris, who is still looking for his first F1 triumph, is one of the fastest drivers on the grid, and Wolff might well try to replace Hamilton with Norris to retain an all-British garage. However, doing it now would require a significant investment.
Alex Albon
Albon, who has consistently performed well at Williams, where Mercedes has hired their last two drivers, would be a promising replacement for Hamilton. After progressing through Red Bull’s junior system, the British-Thai driver was released at the conclusion of 2020 after suffering during his 18-month stay as Max Verstappen’s teammate.
After a year in the wilderness in 2021, Albon joined backmarker Williams and is now the team’s undisputed number one driver. Last year, the 27-year-old collected 27 points to help James Vowles’ (Wolff’s former right-hand man at Mercedes) squad finish eighth in the constructors championship.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
The 17-year-old Italian is recognised as one of the world’s most promising young drivers. Given his promise, having won Formula Regional championships in both the Middle East and Europe in 2023, he is skipping F3 this year to make his F2 debut for Prema Racing alongside British teenager Ollie Bearman.
Antonelli, a member of Mercedes’ young driver programme, would face a significant risk if he were promoted to one of the sport’s juggernauts in 2025, when he would be only 18 years old. If he shines in F2 right away, he has the potential to be a strong contender inside the Silver Arrows environment.
Hamilton’s Message To The Fans
Over the weekend, Hamilton took to social media to address fans for the first time as his announcement. He wrote: “I feel incredibly fortunate, after achieving things with Mercedes that I could only have dreamed of as a kid, that I now have the chance to fulfil another childhood dream. Driving in Ferrari red.”
Hamilton also added, “Mercedes has been a huge part of my life since I was 13 years old, so this decision has been the hardest I’ve ever had to make. I’m incredibly proud of all that we’ve achieved together and I’m very grateful for the hard work and dedication of everyone I have worked with over the years and of course Toto, for his friendship, guidance and leadership.”
Also Read: F1: Lewis Hamilton to leave Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025 in a shocking deal
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