F1 News: Fernando Alonso Could Soon Appear On Mercedes Radar As Lewis Hamilton Replacement
There is a high probability that Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso could soon appear on the Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff's radar for 2025 as a replacement for Lewis Hamilton. 2024 marks the last year of association between the seven-time-world champion and the Brackley outfit.
Key Takeaways:
- Fernando Alonso may emerge as a suitable candidate for Mercedes in 2025, potentially replacing Lewis Hamilton.
- Hamilton's unexpected departure from Mercedes to Ferrari in 2025 sparks intense activity in the driver market, prompting Mercedes and other teams to seek replacements as several driver contracts expire by the end of 2024.
- Alonso strategically positions himself for a possible move to Mercedes, leveraging his influential manager Flavio Briatore. With Mercedes opting for a patient approach to driver selection, Alonso's candidacy could gain traction, fueled by his impressive performance with Aston Martin, including six podium finishes in the first eight Grands Prix of the previous season.
Hamilton created quite a buzz in the first week of February after announcing his shock exit from the Mercedes team next year to join the Maranello outfit. Since then, the driver market has become active as Mercedes will have an empty seat to fill after a few months.
Not only that, several other teams, including Red Bull, are looking for potential drivers to fill their seat for the coming year, given the numerous driver contracts that expire toward the end of 2024.
Consequently, Alonso is "already trying to get into position" to make the situation favorable for himself. The report from F1-insider suggests that the 42-year-old driver has been tapping the right buttons through his influential manager, Flavio Briatore, to navigate the situation effectively.
Mercedes recently announced that it would refrain from rushing into the driver selection process, citing the ample time available throughout the 2024 season. Consequently, there is a heightened possibility of Alonso attracting the attention of Wolff in the foreseeable future, and the potential for a discussion to evolve into a contractual agreement between the two parties cannot be dismissed.
