We are sure that Lewis Hamilton will compete in his Mercedes in the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix.
But the level of emotion surrounding the end of the 2021 Formula 1 World Championship meant that Toto Wolff’s hints last month that Hamilton’s F1 future was uncertain couldn’t be easily dismissed. And of course a sudden, unexpected driver exit is not new territory for Mercedes.
So it made us think hypothetically what if Hamilton really did “a Rosberg” (albeit under completely different circumstances) and left, how would we realistically fill the abrupt vacancy at Mercedes?
Here are our suggestions:
Valtteri Bottas
In the hypothetical situation that Mercedes would be confronted with a Hamilton-less 2022, a pragmatic approach would be advisable.
With George Russell in the other car, it has a driver with limited Mercedes experience despite his long history with the team. To make up for this, trying to bring Valtteri Bottas back would be the sensible strategy.
Yes, it’s a regressive approach, but it would give continuity to the team driver, something that will have its values as they try to understand the 2022 car. It will also be a good benchmark for Russell to be compared to and to work closely with as this new era of rule begins.
And if Russell does as expected, Mercedes won’t need another superstar in 2022.
It’s not a long-term alternative and Bottas would just be a stopgap that has the unique benefit of five years of experience with Mercedes to replace what it lost with Hamilton. Bottas would still be the same driver who can be amazingly fast and great in his day but can’t be consistently on par with a Hamilton or a Max Verstappen, but he could help lay the foundations Russell needed if he can Expectations to flourish.
In the long term, Mercedes would use the time gained by hiring Bottas to find the ideal long-term Hamilton replacement.
But that makes such a scenario unlikely. Bottas has a long-term contract with Alfa Romeo and while it might be possible to get it released at the right price (remember, it cost Mercedes £ 10m to get Bottas from Williams), however, it’s doubtful he would accept that too a short term deal as de facto number two switch. It would probably take a more solid contract with at least two guaranteed years to stand a chance of bringing him back, and that would lock Mercedes up for too long.
So the chances that Bottas will be lured back are slim, which also given the fact that we can expect Hamilton to be in the car at the beginning of the season. But if a belated replacement was required, Bottas would tick the boxes for those specific circumstances – an uninspired choice it may seem. – Edd Straw
Fernando Alonso
I have no idea if Alonso is “absolutely impossible” on the Mercedes list for some reason, so this could be a totally impossible suggestion. But I don’t think Hamilton is going to retire either! So I ignore convention and logic, apply my own rules, and just run with that idea …
If Hamilton has gone there will be no equivalent replacement. No other driver can offer the same combination of skill, work ethic, team chemistry, experience and myriad other qualities. So I wouldn’t even try to find some that you could say would fit as well as a seven-time world champion who’s been on the team for nine seasons.
Faced with such a situation, I would consider it a quick chase of Mercedes’ inevitable path into the post-Hamilton era, when Russell led the team with someone by his side. Just I don’t think I want to rush any of the drivers you want to pair him with. So, working on the Russell base is number one in the end, I would just look for the best short term option and then look for a longer term Russell Wingman later in 2022.
With any serious contract option, you want to buy someone out. I don’t see any better justification for this than Alonso. I would like a driver that I can benefit from and from whom I can expect great things, whose significant experience will hopefully shorten the learning process and also combine well with Russell’s youth.
I would try to sign him at 1 + 1 with the option on my side, not his. I can’t imagine Alonso turning up his nose at that – one season with Mercedes will almost certainly be worth more than another with Alpine. Then it is not an option that causes long-term headaches either. – Scott Mitchell
Lando Norris
It may be too difficult a mission, but as in the case of Nico Rosberg’s sudden resignation, it would make sense for Mercedes to look for the best driver among its customer teams should Lewis Hamilton leave.
That driver is Lando Norris, who after three years in Formula 1 seems ready for a top team and a winning car. The problem is, McLaren and Zak Brown would, of course, part ways with their franchise driver.
But McLaren is unlikely to be quite capable of fighting for a title, and Norris will be aware of that. So how about a loan to Mercedes to give him the chance to buy silverware before returning to the team he sees his long-term future with?
It is probably still too difficult a negotiation even if Mercedes helped McLaren find a replacement (e.g. buying up Pierre Gasly from AlphaTauri or handing over Nyck de Vries). But Norris / Russell would be a really cool prospect and at least worth an initial inquiry. – Valentin Khorounzhiy
Daniel Ricciardo
Daniel Ricciardo would do an impressive job of being both a safe pair (given his decades of experience) and a potentially explosive wildcard (given the way he races). He beat Max Verstappen in the same car – albeit at a much earlier point in the new champion’s career – and drives with similar vigor when he drives confidently.
The way he initially stalled at McLaren raises a question mark over him, but for most of his F1 career he looked like a potential champion in the real car. Plus, he’s been a low-friction teammate for a young superstar at both Red Bull and McLaren, so he’s unlikely to get into an internal war with George Russell.
But perhaps the main reason I am advocating Ricciardo is that we wanted these proposals to be at least semi-realistic and that there would certainly be a viable way to achieve it.
McLaren doesn’t necessarily depend on Ricciardo as it has Lando Norris – who was his better prospect last year. His Mercedes engines deal also provides an opportunity for some deals.
What could McLaren do to fill his Ricciardo hole? It should reach a certain POW factor. A few years ago I would have argued that a driver of Pato O’Ward’s ghost would be wasted in F1. Now in Liberty / Netflix / 2022 Tech Rules F1, I’m intrigued to see it. – Matt beer
Nyck de Vries
We’ve heard a lot about Lewis Hamilton’s disaffection with Formula 1 following the final ace of 2021 and the “possibility” of it going away. So the question arises, who would be the second driver for the Mercedes team? Notice that I didn’t say “substitute” for Lewis.
When I was with Jordan we had many opportunities to find drivers. Not always, but usually it depended on what budget you could bring with you or what Eddie Jordan was able to make as a person. Mercedes does not have this limitation and can choose who is available.
With that in mind, Nyck de Vries would be my first choice. The reason is that the team could focus on George Russell, who we all know has the qualifications to lead the team and if they give him the tools you will win races and possibly the championship.
As his teammate, de Vries – who is without a doubt a very talented driver – could then spend a season learning the basics and start into 2023 with two young and hungry hot shoes in a very strong position. – Gary Anderson
Nico Hulkenberg
Nico Hulkenberg’s time as a valid contender for an F1 drive is probably over now, but in this hypothetical and certainly unlikely situation we’re giving him one last try.
This is mainly motivated by how well he did when he drove into the deep end with Racing Point as a COVID supersub in 2020. Yes, that was a competitive car that made his life easier, but the 2022 Mercedes should be even more impressive in comparison to most of the competition, and this time around, Hulkenberg would have some prep time to settle in.
Much more time has passed since his last F1 foray so there are questions about its spiciness. But this would be an extreme situation for Mercedes, whoever she chose would be a boat. Hülkenberg benefits from the fact that the 2022 cars will be designed according to a completely new set of rules, as everyone starts with a blank sheet of paper.
Hulkenberg is a proven, reliable pair of hands with a clear pace that won’t just go away. He would be a solid teammate who, alongside Russell, would likely not cause a problem, who would have much to do if forced into the immediate role of team leader. – Glenn Freeman
Oscar Piastri
Oscar Piastri is far too good to sit on the sidelines this year after dominating the Formula 2 field in one of the most controlled and formidable campaigns we’ve seen in F1’s premier support series.
The F1 learning curve would be steep if he fell into a Mercedes, but quick adaptability has been one of the main strengths of his three consecutive individual titles.
Rookie GP2 / F2 championmates like Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and his hypothetical 2022 teammate George Russell have shown that it is possible to be up to date in a rookie campaign after just a few races.
Piastri have been a safe couple throughout his junior career, rarely knocking his car off the road, and always being tough but fair in wheel-to-wheel combat – something that suggests he would be able to stand up to that At least fight against Formula 1 elite.
At sheer pace, he’s probably not on the same level as Russell, but Mercedes wouldn’t need him.
It would certainly be easier to buy Piastri out of its reserve role with the Alpines than to buy some of the racers on the 2022 grid, and Alpine certainly knows it will be difficult to get Piastri 2023 with Fernando Alonso and Esteban. to secure a seat again Ocon is going nowhere. – Josh Suttill
