Toto Wolff is on the hunt for a fresh face to drive for Mercedes in Formula 1, as Lewis Hamilton gears up to make a surprising move to Ferrari in the upcoming season.
Mercedes’ team principal, Toto Wolff, has emphasized that each potential candidate eyeing a Formula 1 seat for the 2025 season with the team “all have arguments” in their favor.
The Silver Arrows find themselves in the market for a new driver after Lewis Hamilton’s unexpected decision to part ways with the team.
Hamilton, ending his longstanding alliance with Mercedes at the close of the ongoing season, is set to embark on a new journey with Ferrari, a move that has caught many off guard.
Numerous names have been tossed into the ring as contenders for the seven-time world champion’s vacant seat, ranging from Formula 2 newcomer Kimi Antonelli to seasoned Formula 1 campaigner Fernando Alonso.
Even Carlos Sainz, the current occupant of the Ferrari seat Hamilton will assume, has surfaced as a potential contender for the Mercedes drive.
With a plethora of options on the table for Mercedes to consider, Wolff has underscored that each candidate being considered possesses compelling attributes that make them viable contenders for the coveted seat.
“The ones that are available, or that could be interesting for us, they all have arguments in favour of them,” Wolff said. “Be it the very young ones, be it the very mature ones in the best years. Or Carlos.”
Even though Mercedes has experienced a decline in performance since 2022, the opportunity to occupy the second seat alongside George Russell remains a highly coveted position.
Wolff emphasized that he is in no hurry to finalize a decision, especially considering that several prominent drivers will be free agents at the end of the year.
“It’s a difficult choice because it’s not like there is a clear criteria for one and everything points to the other,” Wolff stated.
“I just want to do a step back and just monitor the situation.
“Some of the guys mentioned may sign for other teams and so [I’m] just looking at it.”
