Despite Lewis Hamilton leaving Mercedes high and dry with his shock Ferrari announcement, there are still plenty of options for the German team. Most of the grid is still without a contract for the 2025 season. However, filling the mighty shoes of Hamilton is not an easy task. This is exactly the dilemma Toto Wolff is facing currently. He also highlighted one aspect that is holding them back from making a decision.
However, the top-performing drivers on the grid don’t see the Brackley outfit as a viable option because of their continued struggles. This is exactly why Wolff is confused between giving the youth a chance or going for experience and getting the best out of the troubled car.
Speaking to Motorsport, Wolff said, “It could mean that we put a young driver in the car and give him a chance. That creates less pressure than if we have to fight for victories straight away, or we choose a more experienced driver who can immediately help us with our performance.”
Wolff’s #1 option – Max Verstappen would not look at Mercedes seriously, given it will be a big step back. The same goes for the man Hamilton is replacing at Ferrari, Carlos Sainz. Putting a young Kimi Antonelli is a gamble Wolff is tempted to take at the moment with a program already in place. However, the 52-year-old is vary of the risks with a young Antonelli.
Sebastian Vettel also became an option briefly but left the rumor mill as quickly as he joined it. Mercedes is missing out on all these lucrative options due to one main problem – their performance.
Toto Wolff and Co. are held back in the transfer market by its shortcomings
Ever since the introduction of the 2022 regulations, Mercedes lost all ground they built in the turbo-hybrid era. From dominating championships to getting only one win in the past three years, they have suffered a massive downfall. This is exactly why the team is not an attractive option for most of the available drivers.
In the third year of the regulations, despite a major overhaul, Mercedes has been unable to find competitiveness. In fact, they’ve gone backward in the grid hierarchy as per the first four races. These factors are also possibly the reason why they lost Hamilton.
Hamilton, on the other hand, when asked about the replacement sees Max Verstappen being “definitely on the Mercedes list.” The Briton was also excited about the prospect of Vettel joining the Silver Arrows. George Russell on the other hand is more focused on his performance than who will be lining up next to him in 2025.
No one can predict who will be the next Mercedes driver. However, as the teams start securing their drivers for 2025, there will be a clearer picture.
