WHO COULD REPLACE LEWIS HAMILTON?

With the 2022 season fast approaching the question. on everyones lips is - 'will Lewis Hamilton turn up' with the seven time World Champion yet to confirm if he is returning for the 2022 season after 'that' final lap in Abu Dhabi. I have thought about who Mercedes could go for should Hamilton not come back...

Esteban Ocon - Alpine

The first of the drivers who could replace Hamilton is Esteban Ocon, a Mercedes young driver and now a race winner. Mercedes most likely have the power to buyout the Frenchman's Alpine contract and give him a chance at a team which will be fighting for both titles once more. Ocon x Russell partnership could be dangerous but is there enough experience at being in a title fighting team between them...

Valtteri Bottas - Alfa Romeo

I have gone with Bottas who has only just moved to Alfa Romeo but surely if Mercedes said to him to come back and gave him position of first driver and the chance to be champion surely, the 10x race winner couldn't turn down the chance but the main obstacle here is Alfa Romeo and the contract Bottas is on and could Mercedes persuade the Swiss outfit to hand back their driver...

Pierre Gasly - Alpha Tauri / Lando Norris - McLaren

If Mercedes really wanted to they could go outside their own program and try to nab a different driver and two stand out options could be Gasly who has shown he is a real talent but would Red Bull let him go to their biggest rivals - probably not but would Gasly try to push a move through due to the lack of chances at the top team. Then you have Lando who like Gasly has shown he's got a bit about him - again the same issue as Gasly, will McLaren let their man go... a Russell x Norris partnership could be mad...

Nyck De Vries / Stoffel Vandoorne - Mercedes FE Team

Or if no one in the F1 paddock joined then the Silver Arrows could look to their Formula E pairing of former F2 champion De Vries and former McLaren F1 driver Stoffel Vandoorne. Two solid options - the only issue being De Vries lack of experience in F1 machinery and would they be willing to break up that duo.

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