SUMMARY
- Ralf Schumacher picks his own nephew over Fernando Alonso for the Mercedes F1 seat.
- Mercedes still has an entire season to decide on Lewis Hamilton's replacement.
Lewis Hamilton has inarguably left a massive void behind at Mercedes with his mind-blowing move to Scuderia Ferrari. The seven-time world champion is bound to complete his move after the 2024 Formula 1 campaign, gifting Toto Wolff and Co. enough time to evaluate and handpick Hamilton’s successor. But, who is the Austrian billionaire ultimately going to choose?
Well, moments after the much-anticipated announcement, the name Fernando Alonso was ringing across the media. Several reports even claimed there were contacts between the two-time world champion and Toto Wolff’s team. And of course, Alonso to Mercedes felt ideal, considering the Spaniard’s abundant experience in motorsport and his ability to go up against the fastest driver without much hesitation.
However, amidst such heightened competition, former F1 driver and Michael Schumacher’s brother Ralf Schumacher has made an interesting prediction. The German reckoned that his nephew, Mick Schumacher, would be a perfect fit for Mercedes. The 24-year-old recently made a jump to the World Endurance Championship, joining hands with Alpine for 2024.
Mick Schumacher will race for Alpine at Le Mans in 2024! 🥳
Schumacher 🗣️: “Endurance racing is a new challenge for me, and I’m sure we will share great moments together next year with Alpine.”
Full story 👇
— Autosport (@autosport) November 22, 2023
Hence, with the much-needed track action, Schumacher could finally showcase his worth after the struggles at Haas, which pretty much tarnished his reputation. But, the only big question is, can Schumacher match Hamilton’s energy at Mercedes?
The next Lewis Hamilton? Ralf Schumacher reveals his pick
Indeed, it wasn’t surprising to hear such a prediction from Ralf Schumacher, considering the ex-race winner has been managing his nephew since the heartbreaking Michael Schumacher incident. Here’s what Ralf had to say about the former Haas driver.
“George Russell, if he doesn’t make mistakes, is certainly capable of following in Lewis’ footsteps and leading the team. Now the question is: do you go for experience or bring in new, young people?” he told Sky Sports. “Mick would certainly be one of the best options in the young sector, but of course, there is also a Carlos Sainz on the market, even if I think he is more likely to end up at Audi.
“I think Mick’s chances are good and I think he deserves the chance. Next to Russell, he would be a man to build up for the future. I’m pretty confident about that, now only Toto Wolff has to be of the same opinion. But so far I’ve only heard positive things from him about Mick.”
Overall, the ball is now on Wolff’s court, and the battle for Hamilton’s seat is going to be quite intense. Apart from Alonso and Schumacher, several others are battling for the prestigious spot, including the likes of Esteban Ocon, Carlos Sainz, Kimi Antonelli, and more. But, who is going to emerge victorious?