The 2024 F1 season is officially underway, and it seems the silly season is also upon us. With Lewis Hamilton moving to Ferrari, the driver market is set to go haywire. In a video clip uploaded on X by user Clara, Hamilton’s teammate George Russell spoke about the situation unraveling behind the scenes. He added that he, too, was subject to certain phone calls from others.
Being good friends with Toto Wolff, Russell revealed he spent a lot of time with him over the break. Following the news of Hamilton’s departure, the British driver revealed how there have been many conversations (over a replacement). Russell added even he received some phone calls from various drivers.
“I’ve been with Toto [Wolff] a lot this winter. So, seeing the drivers names pop up on the phone has been quite funny. And even on my phone, I’ve had a few phone calls and text messages.”
Since Russell is close to Wolff, and a certain future leader at Mercedes, the drivers must have felt that contacting him is a good idea. If Russell takes it up with Wolff, they could stand a chance at filling Hamilton’s seat at the Silver Arrows.
Mercedes were hit with a bombshell when Hamilton announced that he would be departing the team. Heading into the final month of the winter break, the seven-time world champion officially committed to Ferrari from 2025 onwards, adding to Mercedes‘ problems. Not only did the Silver Arrows have to focus on resurgence, but they now had to deal with finding an appropriate replacement.
Adding to their problems even more, the announcement gave way to a sort of ‘Butterfly Effect’ in F1. A lot of the drivers looking to make it big in F1 are now contacting Wolff for a job.
The search is on for a Lewis Hamilton replacement
With Hamilton leaving, Mercedes would want to fill the vacancy with an appropriate driver. Given the value of the seat, it is hardly a surprise that Wolff has been receiving numerous calls from various drivers looking to make it big. There have been rumors of Wolff contacting Fernando Alonso for a job at Mercedes. However, there is no concrete evidence to support the same. Rumors of the same caught further wind when reports came of Alonso expressing interest in joining the Silver Arrows.
17-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli is another driver linked with the team. The Italian driver is a Mercedes Academy product who will be competing in the F2 championship this year. Experts believe Antonelli is an exciting talent and has the potential to become the next ‘big thing’ in the F1 realm.
Wolff also previously claimed that Frederik Vesti and Mick Schumacher are in the running. Both drivers have had links with Mercedes and would want to solidify the same. For now, their focus will be on their ventures away from F1. However, they would be keeping a close watch on their phones should Wolff give them a call.
