Mercedes know they have Lewis Hamilton locked down for a few years but beyond that there is questions over who could replace him with a previous reserve driver no longer an option
Mercedes will need to source a new replacement for Lewis Hamilton, with the man tipped to step into his shoes no longer in Formula 1.
The seven-time world champion has given the Silver Arrows his all for the next two years, but after that, it’s unclear how long he’ll stay in the sport. Since 2013, Hamilton has been a part of the German team, which has long had a stable driver lineup.
As a result, they haven’t had to look for new drivers all the time, and Nyck De Vries joined them after winning the Formula 2 Championship in 2019. After winning a championship while racing in Formula E for Mercedes, the Dutchman was frequently spotted at races with Toto Wolff.
Although he was expected to compete, AlphaTauri let him go at the end of the previous season due to his lack of performance. He has since joined Mahindra in Formula E. In the event that the British player decides to retire from competition, he will no longer be available to take Hamilton’s place.
Nyck de Vries will take the seat if Lewis Hamilton stops, rally driver Tom Coronel previously told RacingNews365. Are you aware of the reason? Nyck, as I have said for the past year, is Toto Wolff’s insurance policy.
“He has, of course, already had that experience with Rosberg. He keeps Nyck close to him, but I don’t want to suggest that he ‘uses’ him. This boy is acting in every way that he ought to. All of the championships he deserved to win are his.
Later, Coronel said, “Nyck never lacked anything compared to the other drivers if you look at his track record and what he’s still doing now. That’s precisely what you receive.
After Williams stepped down, George Russell has now been with the team for two years. Since joining the Silver Arrows, he is the only driver to win a race, and after making an impression, predictions have placed him as a future world champion.
Another man who was once signed by Mercedes, Esteban Ocon, has since left the team and is currently racing for Alpine elsewhere on the grid. Another reserve driver who has since moved on and is now working for Aston Martin is Stoffel Vandoorne, who was De Vries’ Formula E teammate.
