After Fernando Alonso signed a new contract to stay at Aston Martin for at least two more years, the landscape has shifted in the driver market. But there’s even more attention on Mercedes.
Toto Wolff needs to find a replacement for Lewis Hamilton, who decided in the winter that he’d be joining Ferrari for 2025. And now one world champion is off the table.
Writing on his X account, journalist Joe Saward offered a verdict on one of the alternatives. Mercedes have been going all out to try and sign Max Verstappen, but persuading him to leave the dominant Red Bull team may be too big a task.
Reports elsewhere have suggested that academy driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli, currently racing in F2, is the favourite, especially after Alonso’s decision. However, Wolff isn’t yet sure whether he’s ready.
The availability of Carlos Sainz, sacrificed by Ferrari in favour of Hamilton, is a key factor too. Mercedes have apparently offered him a contract but there’s disagreement over the length of the deal.
Journalist tells Toto Wolff what he must not do after Fernando Alonso stays put
When journalist Jenna Fryer floated the idea of Mercedes signing retired four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, Saward was dismissive. He says the move can be ruled out, unless Wolff goes ‘completely mad’.
Vettel hung up his helmet at the end of 2022 but hasn’t closed the door on a return to F1. Prospective teammate George Russell has welcomed the idea of racing alongside him.
Vettel wouldn’t be the first legendary driver to make a comeback. Alonso did so in 2021 with Alpine, three years after his first retirement, and Mercedes tempted Michael Schumacher to rejoin the grid in 2010 when he initially planned to bow out in 2006.
Is Sebastian Vettel coming back to F1?
Bernie Collins, who worked alongside Vettel at Aston Martin, suspects that the former Red Bull driver would accept an offer from Mercedes. For his part, the German is confident that he’d be able to re-adjust to the physical demands of F1.
However, the prospect of Vettel returning has sparked a mixed response. He’s unquestionably one of the sport’s greats with 53 wins, 57 podiums and 122 podiums, but his form tailed off towards the end of his career.
Indeed, Ferrari decided to drop him before the 2020 season had even started, replacing him with Sainz. They decided they wanted to build around Charles Leclerc and clearly felt Vettel was underperforming.
That prompted him to move to Aston Martin, where he did at least out-perform Lance Stroll. But aside from a podium finish at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, there were few flashes of his former brilliance.
Even Collins has urged Mercedes to find a longer-term teammate for Russell than the 36-year-old, and David Croft has pointed out that he wasn’t at his ‘best’ before he stopped racing. This, then, would be an enormous risk for Wolff and Mercedes.
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