By Joe Murphy
When the news broke that Lewis Hamilton would be departing Mercedes following the culmination of the 2024 season to join long-time rivals Ferrari, questions immediately arose as to who would be the man to replace the British driver.
Whilst Lando Norris would have been the obvious suggestion not so long ago, his long term contract deal and public stance on McLaren has ruled him out.
Carlos Sainz most likely won’t make the switch, although it does remain a possibility. The perfect man, however, is somewhere else on the grid. Estaban Ocon seems happy and settled at Alpine despite a long-term affiliation with the Silver Arrows.
Alex Albon has a nice deal with Williams, but with close links between the team and Mercedes, a move would be perfect for all parties. Williams won’t be competitive enough for Alex as he continues to improve. The Thai driver left Red Bull and has come out of his shell, discovering the best form of his career to date. This could mean that Carlos Sainz moves to Williams, or he could replace a potentially retiring Fernando Alonso. A lot of questions remain.
But Alex Albon alongside good friend George Russell would be a strong line up for Mercedes. A move for Perez if he was let go by Red Bull would be remarkable but also not very likely. Alex just makes all the sense in the world.
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