Who will replace Hamilton if he retires?

 

No we are not saying that he will retire but over a month has passed since the controvesial title decider where Hamilton lost the championship to Max Verstappen after the whole controversy of the decision of the FIA to decide the championship on the last lap.

After all that Hamilton has not been active on social media and there have been some serious question marks if he's gonna return and it has been hinted by Toto Wolff that Hamilton's F1 future is in question.

So if Hamilton does decide to say goodbye to F1 who should Mercedes bring to replace him?                     We have some suggestions.

ESTEBAN OCON

In the hypothetical scenario that Hamilton does retire Ocon is likely to be the one called to fill the vacant seat although he does have a long term contract with Alpine and it is unlikely that they would let him go Mercedes can reach some sort of aggrement with Alpine to allow Ocon to leave.

That will be beneficial to both teams as it will allow Alpine to promote Oscar Piastri(F2 Champion)      to the main team after failing to finding him a seat in this year's grid.  

OSCAR PIASTRI

Now the next option they have is to go for Oscar Piastri who is too good to be left in the sidelines this year after dominating F2 in one of the most controlled and impressive campaigns we've seen in Formula 2.

It will take him some time to adapt to F1 but as he has shown in his junior career he has quick adaptability and that he is a safe pair of hands to help Mercedes to the championship and posssibly         be a number two to George Russell.

Also it will be easier for Mercedes to buy him out of Alpine than going after some driver on the 2022 grid.Alpine also can't promise Piastri that it will find him a seat for next year as it's driver's (Ocon and Alonso) are going nowhere.

NICO HULKENBERG  

Nico Hulkenberg is another good choice and someone who doesn't have a seat in F1 at the time although he is a reserve driver for Aston Martin if Mercedes come knocking at his door he will surely say yes and he does desrve one last shot at F1 and that podium.

Now Hulkenberg is a safe pair of hands but after missing two full seasons of F1 there will surely be question marks over his sharpiness but given that we are entering a new generation of car's this will be in favor of Hulkenberg.Also he is solid teammate who won't cause any problem's and will be a clear number two to Russell who will be the team leader.Also being German help's because Mercedes is a German brand and it has been long since they had a German driver in the team.

SEBASTIAN VETTEL 

Now Vettel is a logical option because he is a very fast driver on his day and has years of experience that can help Mercedes also he is a German driver and it will be good for Mercedes to have again a German driver in their car.                                                                                                                       

But in recent years there have been question marks about his performance with a horrible last season with Ferrari and a mediocre start with Aston Martin with highs but also lows and some poor luck with the team being hit hard by the floor changes but Vettel with the right car under him and the team behind him can be unstoppable we have seen it at Red Bull and at his first years with Ferrari.Also he has admitted that the fire is still burning inside him and that he still has the desire to succeed in F1. 

Now Vettel does have a contract with Aston Martin till the end of 22 but Team principal and CEO of Mercedes Toto Wolff has a pretty good relationship with the Chairman of Aston Martin Lawrence Stroll and can come to some sort of aggrement to allow Vettel to come to Mercedes and replacing him at Aston Martin will be either Nyck De Vries or Nico Hulkenberg.

This idea is supported by Ralf Schumacher who said at Sky Deutschland: "He has the experience, he still has the speed, and above all he knows the Mercedes car - or the engine. I think the Aston Martin concept is very close."

NYCK DE VRIES 

Nyck De Vries is an option for Mercedes though very unlikely he did win the Formula E championship with Mercedes but he doesn't have F1 experience he will need some time to adjust to the enviroment of F1 and be a clear number two to Russell.

But Mercedes did try to find him a seat in F1 so De Vries will surely spend the longest part of 22 learning and then come stronger to 23.

STOFFEL VANDOORNE

Vandoorne is the teams test and reserve driver so it's almost a no brainer for them to bring him to replace Hamilton but it's not so straightforward.Although he does have F1 experience compared to De Vries where he spent 2017 and 18 with Mclaren he never showed any potential of being a great driver and he was beaten rather easily by Alonso.

Mercedes has the possibility to sign any driver it wants so it's unlikely for both Vandoorne and De Vries to get the seat if Hamilton leaves. 

PIERRE GASLY

Pierre Gasly is one of the most underrated drivers on the grid on this point having thrived ever since Red Bull sacked him on the summer of 2019 taking a podium with Toro Rosso in Brazil that year,a win in Italy with Alpha Tauri in 2020 and a podium in Baku in 2021.

Gasly has shown that with a right car he can be one of the best but let's not forget that at Red Bull he wasn't near Verstappen and it's seems that he thrives in a free pressure enviroment so there will some questions of whether or not he will perform if he does get the drive.

But with two excellent seasons and literally carrying Alpha Tauri on his back it's almost certain that he will perform and help Mercedes on the championship and even challenge for the role of team leader inside the team. 

FERNANDO ALONSO 

Fernando Alonso is also a solution for Mercedes despite making his comeback from being two years out of the sport and 40 year's old Alonso showed everyone that he still has what it takes to compete at the highest level and that age is just a number.Alonso can offer to Mercedes his experience of his many seasons in F1,he can also offer concistancy and he still has that fire and passion in him to succeed.

Now Alonso is under contract with Alpine but Mercedes can either buy him out of his contract or come to an aggrement with Alpine to release him which again will allow Alpine to promote Oscar Piastri to the main team. 

But there is one thing we shouldn't forget the thing is that Alonso is 40 year's old despite proving his doubters wrong but still signing him is only a short term solution because Alonso can't do this for another five to seven year's,he has two to three more years in F1 although those should be enough for Mercedes to find a replacement.

VALTTERI BOTTAS

If Hamilton quits Mercedes will have a driver (George Russell) with limited experience in Mercedes so it can be a logic option for Mercedes to try to bring Bottas back to the team so they can have a driver who knows the team and can help Russell in the new rules and to help him get up to speed with the team.

Now this can be a solution for some time maybe not long term but surely medium term but we mustn't forget that Bottas is under a three year deal with Alfa Romeo(Mercedes will have to buy him out of his contract or make a deal so that De Vries can join Alfa Romeo) and it might not be easy to convince him to come back to be again a support act but if they offer him a two to three year it might convince him to come back and that will give the team the time they need to find a good replacement.

Bottas on his day he is an amazing driver but he is not able to be consistenly to be at the level of Hamilton and Verstappen but he can help Russell as a second driver. 

These are our choises but Hamilton has to announce that he retires which is highly unlikely so that any of those drivers can have a shot at the Mercedes seat.