Toto Wolff is on the lookout for someone to fill the shoes of Lewis Hamilton, and the Red Bull driver facing criticism might just be the unexpected choice.
During a recent sighting of Toto Wolff alongside Sergio Perez in the Bahrain paddock on a Wednesday, speculation arose that the driver from Mexico is being eyed as a potential candidate to join George Russell at Mercedes.
The team seemed to have their driver strategy set for the medium term, having secured both Russell and the iconic Hamilton on new two-year deals before the onset of the 2024 ‘silly season.’
However, Wolff’s strategy was thrown into disarray in February when Hamilton made a surprising move by deciding to switch to Ferrari after the 2024 season, leveraging an exit clause in his last summer’s contract.
This leaves Mercedes in a predicament, needing to find a second driver without being certain if Kimi Antonelli, the young prodigy, will be prepared to step up from Formula Two after just one season.
Therefore, Wolff might have to look within the current pool of drivers to find a partner for Russell. Perez emerges as a potential candidate in this scenario.
With his contract at Red Bull ending after the 2024 season and Daniel Ricciardo gaining favor within the team’s leadership, Perez needs to significantly up his game to keep his position next to Max Verstappen.
Should Mercedes seek a lasting solution to replacing Hamilton, Perez might not be the first choice. However, if Wolff intends to integrate Antonelli into the team at Brackley in the future, Perez would be an excellent interim option.
For Perez, joining Mercedes could mean a fresh opportunity to compete at the top level and escape the intense focus associated with being Verstappen’s teammate.
Despite a strong start to the 2023 season, the 34-year-old found himself overshadowed by his teammate, a three-time world champion. Wolff, however, has other candidates for next season.
Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin has been linked to the position after Wolff was seen having lunch with Alonso’s manager Flavio Briatore. Alex Albon and Esteban Ocon are also in the mix as possible successors to Hamilton.
