Lewis Hamilton could leave Formula 1 after his heartbreak in Abu Dhabi, where he saw the championship controversially wrested from him. The Brit appeared to land an eighth record title before slaughter broke out after a late safety car, and Max Verstappen caught up with his rival to win the race and championship thanks to a final-lap shooting.
After the season finale, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff could not guarantee that Hamilton would not step down.
“I would very much hope that Lewis will continue to drive because he is the best driver of all time,” said Wolff instead.
“It will take us a long time to digest what happened. I don’t think we’ll ever get over it – that’s not possible. “
Rumor has it that Hamilton will end his day and end his F1 career with legendary driver Michael Schumacher with seven titles.
And Express Sport takes a look at five drivers who could replace Hamilton in the Silver Arrows.
Stoffel Vandoorne
Stoffel Vandoorne is already part of the Mercedes team as an F1 test driver and EQ Formula E racing driver.
The 29-year-old previously drove alongside Fernando Alonso for McLaren in the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
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Nyck de Vries
Like Vandoorne, Nyck de Vries is another Mercedes test driver and EQ Formula E racing driver and is therefore already part of the Silver Arrows setup.
The 26-year-old Dutchman spent three years in Formula 2 and also competed in the European Le Mans Series with G-Drive Racing and the FIA WEC.
Valtteri Bottas
Valtteri Bottas drove alongside Hamilton at Mercedes for five years, with the two fighting several times due to their fierce rivalry.
Bottas has a lot of experience in Formula 1 and has contested 178 races and 67 podiums.
However, the 32-year-old announced his departure from the Silver Arrows when he signed with Alfa Romeo when George Russell was named Hamilton’s team-mate for the 2022 season.
It would be a safe option for Mercedes to try to reverse the move.
Nico Hulkenberg
Nico Hulkenberg has driven for a variety of F1 teams since his debut in 2010.
He is currently a substitute driver for Aston Martin and made an impressive impression when he represented under the branding Racing Point for Perez and Lance Stroll last season.
Hulkenberg is another driver with a lot of experience and could do a short term job even though he never finished on the podium.
