Lewis Hamilton has been grabbing headlines across sports after announcing that he would be leaving Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025. Not only have F1 experts had their say on this topic, but so have several others. The latest to share his opinion is Williams’ Alex Albon, who is also rumored in the running to replace Hamilton at Mercedes. The Thai driver has likened the 39-year-old’s move to Lionel Messi from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to Inter Miami in 2023.
As quoted by journalist Scott Mitchell-Malm, Albon said, “Like is this a real story? There are so many rumors going over the winter, you didn’t know what had any credibility or not. It definitely seemed to be a rumor at the very beginning“.
Alex Albon says last week’s Lewis Hamilton/Ferrari news was a “pinch yourself” moment.
“Like is this a real story? There’s so many rumours going over the winter, you didn’t know what had any credibility or not. It definitely seemed to be a rumour at the very beginning.”
— Scott Mitchell-Malm (@SMitchellF1) February 5, 2024
Albon then compared Hamilton’s transfer to that of Messi by adding, “It reminds me of the Messi/Miami transfer on such a huge scale.” Messi’s move to Inter Miami was huge not only for the salary – the FIFA 2022 World Cup winner received ($60m) – but also because it meant that an active Ballon d’Or winner was playing in the MLS for the first time.
Soon after Albon gave his reaction to Hamilton’s move, Williams team principal James Vowles also shared his thoughts. The 44-year-old praised Hamilton for making such a bold move. Vowles believes it is the “hardest thing” for any individual to move from a place of “comfort” to where they are not.
Vowles then concluded his remarks by stating that only top drivers like Hamilton are often not afraid to accept such a huge challenge. With Hamilton making such an audacious move, the question is who will replace the seven-time champion at Mercedes.
Will Alex Albon replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes?
Several reports have emerged recently that Mercedes may consider signing Alex Albon, who is in the last year of his contract with Williams, as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement. Since the Briton is arguably one of the best drivers in F1 history, the Silver Arrows will need a high-profile signing to replace him.
Although Albon was mightily impressive with Williams last year, as he scored 27 out of the team’s 28 points, he himself seems to have reservations about joining a top team. As quoted by Sky Sports, the Thai driver said, “I’ve got to keep that up and then do a bit more just to make sure that these opportunities are available.”
Moreover, it is pertinent to note that the rumors surrounding Albon did not link him with a potential move to Mercedes but that he was also linked with a return to Red Bull. Since such speculations have been so rampant, the 27-year-old himself denied these rumors once and for all.
When quizzed about these rumors, Albon stated that he is completely focused on Williams at the moment and has no interest in switching teams. However, things may change as the 2024 season progresses if Albon is not happy with Williams’ development from last season.
