Mercedes double-disaster in Australia: “Is it a team that drivers want to go to?”
Mercedes "need to be a team with appeal" for Lewis Hamilton's replacement, they are warned
Questions have arisen about Mercedes’ attractiveness to potential Lewis Hamilton replacements after a dreadful F1 Australian Grand Prix.
Hamilton and George Russell were both unable to finish the race, the latest setback in a season which has started badly for the team.
Hamilton was left frustrated by an engine issue which caused an early retirement before Russell crashed out on the last lap.
The wider picture is that Mercedes are seeking a replacement for Ferrari-bound Hamilton for 2025.
But, they are also under pressure to prove themselves as a worthy destination for a top driver.
“Tough times for Mercedes,” Sky Sports’ Naomi Schiff reacted.
“This is the third season in the era of new F1 cars and they haven’t quite got on top of it.
“Besides the fact that they had a mechanical issue, and George had an issue, they didn’t have the pace that they needed.
“The car is so unpredictable for the team to understand. Whether it’s one side of the garage or not, it still doesn’t have the pace that they need to challenge. It’s a tough one.
“Lewis is going to Ferrari and they need to be a team with appeal for whoever they might give that seat to in the future.
“At the moment, is Mercedes a team that drivers want to go to?
“They finished second in the championship last year but we need to see them moving forwards to be an attractive proposition.
“At the moment, it doesn’t seem that they have the situation under control.”
Ironically the winner of the F1 Australian Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz, is out of a job next year because Hamilton will replace him at Ferrari.
Sainz is on the market and could come into consideration for Toto Wolff.
Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso is a big-name possibility while Alpine’s Esteban Ocon has been mentioned as a stopgap solution.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes’ teenage junior driver who is currently in Formula 2, is also an option.
But before Wolff even makes his huge decision, Mercedes know that they must rectify a bad weekend in Australia to get Hamilton’s final season with the team back on course.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
