Mercedes needs Hamilton’s successor: does Mick Schumacher suddenly get a chance?

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Once again something happens to the Mercedes team that does not fit in with the self-image of the proud racing team. The Silver Ones are abandoned by a pilot almost overnight. At the end of 2016, Nico Rosberg (38) was suddenly no longer world champion, now Lewis Hamilton (39) prefers to drive for Ferrari from 2025.

At the time, after the Rosberg explosion, Mercedes could only present Valtteri Bottas as a stopgap solution. This time there are more possibilities, and not just because of the lead time of an entire season. After 2024, 14 of the 20 driver contracts in the Formula 1 field will expire.

But Mercedes boss Toto Wolff still has a difficult problem in front of him. Because the team will not get a new recruit of Hamilton’s quality – i.e. with world championship potential – or, in the case of Fernando Alonso (42), will not want it.

2025 comes too early for Mercedes super talent

Top drivers such as Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc are committed to their teams for the long term – and Mercedes really only needs an interim solution until its own super talent Andrea Kimi Antonelli (17, makes his Formula 2 debut in Formula 2) 2024) is mature enough for it. The factory team is.

Will Mercedes replacement Mick Schumacher (24) suddenly get a great opportunity in 2025 to sit in a Mercedes like his father Michael once did? No, the chance is virtually zero. Even though Mick constantly emphasizes that he wants to have what it takes to be a regular Formula 1 driver, he does not have the driving qualities for a top team.

Sainz and Perez without contracts

Schumi is not even mentioned as an option in the British trade media. On the other hand, the mature Thai-Briton Alex Albon (27), who single-handedly took Williams to 7th place and would immediately leave the backbencher team for a Mercedes cockpit. With Carlos Sainz (29, Ferrari) and Sergio Pérez (34, Red Bull), drivers from top teams will also be on the market before 2025 due to their expiring contracts. But as Blick reported, Sainz will likely end up in Hinwil as a future Audi factory driver. And Pérez would probably go down next to new Mercedes hope George Russell (25), just as he did internally against Verstappen.

So you end up with Esteban Ocon (27) as a hot option. The Frenchman was supported by Mercedes for years, but now drives for Alpine as a prodigal son. Ocon is now a GP winner, has 133 GP’s experience and knows the racing team from the past. Will Toto Wolff call his number soon to talk about 2025? Finally, there are close ties between Ocon and the Mercedes team, which is still responsible for its management.

Source : Blick