Since signing for Mercedes in 2012, Lewis Hamilton has gone to taste ultimate success in Formula 1. He has won 6 of his 7 titles with the Brackley-based outfit. But as things stand, his current contract expires at the end of the 2023 season. Many believe the Briton will finally announce his retirement after running down his current deal.

However, given the silly F1 season, if Hamilton decides to shock the world and retire this year, especially considering his recent struggle in the sport, Mercedes will be in a bit of turmoil. Let us take a look at the potential drivers who can partner with George Russell in Mercedes.

Driving for Mercedes is one thing. However, driving for Mercedes replacing Lewis Hamilton is a completely different scenario. The 7-time World Champion has won 82 races for Mercedes so far in his career. In addition, he has stood on the podiums a massive 139 times.

Succeeding Lewis Hamilton will not be an easy job for any driver. Let us look at the top 3 drivers who might fill up their seat.

Daniel Ricciardo

The Australian has endured a torrid stint at McLaren. However, there’s no doubting his talent. The former Red Bull driver can be a decent short-term option for Mercedes until they find a long-term successor. Daniel is certainly capable of leading the Mercedes lineup alongside George Russell.

He is already rumored to take up the Mercedes’ reserve driver seat, which could mean Toto is planning life without Lewis. Although, if Lewis decides to retire at the end of this season, the Aussie might be a decent choice after all. He has won 8 F1 races in his career, but can certainly add to that number with a strong car. He even outscored Sebastian Vettel, who was the world champion in his first Red Bull season.

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Esteban Ocon

Ricciardo’s Renault teammate and a member of Mercedes’ driver academy, Ocon has not yet gotten a move to a big constructor. But a move to Mercedes can be a big break for the Frenchman. With time on his side, the 26-year-old can be the Valtteri Bottas to George Russell.

Moreover, the 26-year-old has a good relationship with Toto Wolff and has impressed so far this season with Alpine. Esteban has scored 66 points this season, and is ahead of teammate and former 2 time World Champion Fernando Alonso in the driver’s standing. He also won his maiden GP in Hungary last year, keeping the like of Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian behind.

Pierre Gasly

Pierre Gasly had an impressive season with AlphaTauri last year. He scored an impressive 110 points last year, but has only managed to score 22 this year. However, Ocon’s compatriot has displayed some amazing driving over the years.

The Italian GP in 2020 still fresh in the minds of many fans. Additionally, despite of a poor Red Bull stint, Gasly is a much more experienced driver and hasn’t extended his contract with AlphaTauri. He could make a decent driver pairing with George Russell at Mercedes.

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Another noteworthy mention is Mercedes’ reserve driver, Nyck de Vries. The Dutchman impressed in his first GP start in Monza finishing P9. However, a chance to replace Lewis Hamilton might be a little early for the former Formula E champion.

Lewis Hamilton offers hope to Mercedes as he provides clarity on his future

Mercedes ace Lewis Hamilton has dismissed any retirement rumors and admitted he still feels young and fresh. Sir Lewis admitted that he has already held talks with Team Principal Toto Wolff about his future.

Speaking to Canal+, Hamilton said: “As crazy as it is, 300 is such a huge number of races, yet I feel young and fresh. I still feel just as energized as I was five years ago”

He further added, “That’s a lot of races! I firstly just want to be grateful to get to this point. But I still feel fresh and still feel like I’ve got plenty of fuel left in the tank. So, I’m enjoying what I’m doing.”

The former McLaren driver hasn’t shown signs of aging. However, a lot of his future will depend on how competitive Mercedes’ car is next season.

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Despite still racing at a competitive level, Lewis Hamilton’s retirement is inevitable. If he does retire at the end of this season, Mercedes will have very little time to line-up a potential successor to the racing legend. Who do you think should replace Hamilton in Mercedes?