Five possible Lewis Hamilton replacements for Mercedes

With Lewis Hamilton swapping Mercedes silver for Ferrari red from F1 2025, thoughts are already turning to who could replace him.

Mercedes now have a year at most to decide who will be George Russell's next teammate and fill the gaping hole left by the seven-time world champion and F1’s most successful driver.

Here are five potential replacements Mercedes could consider…

Carlos Sainz

Left without a drive as a consequence of Hamilton’s sensational switch to Ferrari, could Carlos Sainz make a direct swap to Mercedes as the Briton’s successor?

The move would be easy to pull off given Sainz is now a free agent and it would surely be an attractive proposal for the Spaniard. The two-time grand prix winner would also likely get the two-year deal that Ferrari weren’t willing to offer him, to give both him and Mercedes some stability.

Sainz has also been linked to the likes of Audi and Williams, but aside from an unlikely return to the Red Bull stable, Mercedes would boast the most competitive available seat for 2025.

Fernando Alonso

What a story it would be for Hamilton to be replaced at Mercedes by Fernando Alonso.

Even at 42, Alonso proved he is still at his very best with a brilliant 2023 campaign and the two-time world champion would be the kind of big-name signing that would soften the blow of losing Hamilton.

Alonso has been linked with Mercedes several times in the past but, with his Aston Martin contract expiring at the end of 2024, could now be the time the Spaniard finally ends up at the German manufacturer?

Lando Norris

Lando Norris’ brand-new contract, signed last week, ties him to McLaren long-term, in theory at least. The exact duration is unclear but it will inevitably be until the end of 2026 or beyond.

His immediate future being secured by McLaren should warn off Red Bull, who might have a vacancy opening in 2025.

But is it enough to end Mercedes’ interest in the wake of Hamilton’s stunning departure?

Mercedes require a mega signing who has both the world championship potential and individual brand recognition. Norris’ rise to being among the best-known F1 drivers on the grid would replace a lot of what Mercedes will lose when Hamilton steps away.

Signing Norris won’t come cheap but would secure Mercedes’ driver line-up for the next decade and continue a formidable all-British pairing at the team.

Esteban Ocon

A potentially easier alternative to the likes of Norris would be Esteban Ocon.

The Frenchman was on Mercedes’ books as a junior, and it was recently revealed that the German manufacturer still manages his career, despite him driving for Alpine.

Still highly thought of by those at Mercedes, Ocon, now a grand prix winner and multiple podium finisher, would be a solid option to have alongside Russell.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli

The driver who could be Mercedes’ next young star is already causing quite the stir.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli has shown so much promise that Mercedes have placed him straight into F2 in 2024, skipping F3, and putting him one step closer to reaching F1.

Antonelli, who is just 17, has been making waves ever since he burst onto the single-seater scene. He won the Italian and German F4 titles in 2022, taking 22 wins from 35 races, before being crowned the Formula Regional champion the following season.

Mercedes have high hopes for the Italian, who was being touted for a possible Williams F1 seat for 2025 even before Hamilton’s blockbuster move to Ferrari was confirmed.

If he were to win F2 at the first attempt this year, could he get an instant promotion to Mercedes? It’s one to keep an eye on.