Alonso to return to F1 in 2021

[MissChief]

Bottas serves Mercedes perfectly really

Good enough for 2nd.and sometimes 1st when stars align.
No real threat to Hamilton, safe pair of hands.
Probably cheap too.

If I was merc. I'd keep the drivers I had.
Anyone else is either a risk, or a threat to Hamilton (verstappen) and you don't want that.

Apart from Hamilton and verstappen, is there anyone else exceptional? Norris could be getting that if he carries on improving.
Never sure how good Riccardo is. Hard to quantify

I’d like to think George Russell could do a job for Mercedes if they give him a chance.

 

[Mr Jack]

I’d like to think George Russell could do a job for Mercedes if they give him a chance.

I think if Mercedes don't bring Russell into the top seat soon - or at least can find him something well up from a Williams - then they'll end up losing him to one of the other big teams. A driver of his talent won't be happy trundling round at the back forever. Hamilton is 35, he's probably got a few years in him yet, but I think Mercedes will need a driver to replace him soon enough and nurturing Russell into that role seems to make a lot more sense than clinging onto Bottas.

 

[413x]

I think if Mercedes don't bring Russell into the top seat soon - or at least can find him something well up from a Williams - then they'll end up losing him to one of the other big teams. A driver of his talent won't be happy trundling round at the back forever. Hamilton is 35, he's probably got a few years in him yet, but I think Mercedes will need a driver to replace him soon enough and nurturing Russell into that role seems to make a lot more sense than clinging onto Bottas.

Depends how long merc plan to stick around.

Hamilton seems to have a lot of life in him yet.

 

[Goksly]

Whilst he is the best driver on the grid (imo), he is still costing merc a lot of cash. If they replaced him with Russell, they would save £30m, and potentially still win both championships with their performance difference. Maybe...

 

[Steampunk]

Whilst he is the best driver on the grid (imo), he is still costing merc a lot of cash. If they replaced him with Russell, they would save £30m, and potentially still win both championships with their performance difference. Maybe...

The reason why he gets the big bucks is that Hamilton is often a significant factor in the Mercedes performance difference. How many times have we seen Hamilton just pull out lap times and performances that even the people in F1 can't believe? Put Russell in Hamilton's car, and it's more likely you'll get Bottas level performance.

 

[this_is_gav]

The reason why he gets the big bucks is that Hamilton is often a significant factor in the Mercedes performance difference. How many times have we seen Hamilton just pull out lap times and performances that even the people in F1 can't believe? Put Russell in Hamilton's car, and it's more likely you'll get Bottas level performance.

To be fair every champion in more than a decade has put in such performances. Arguably Russell himself put in such a performance on Saturday.

Sadly Sunday showed why Russell isn't yet the man to replace Hamilton, but he's shown plenty to suggest he might become one. He wouldn't yet directly threaten Hamilton over a season (Hamilton's consistency is his biggest weapon now, not his speed), and Mercedes had enough in hand in 2020 and almost certainly 2021 to risk Hamilton vs a potential successor without losing out to Red Bull.

Presumably Mercedes only signed Bottas as they've received assurances that Hamilton will sign on for another couple of years, but if Hamilton were to unexpectedly switch to Ferrari to fulfil the dream that Senna never got the chance to, or retire, that would leave them in a potentially sticky situation. Is Bottas enough to win? Who else would they get at short notice to do the job? I suppose Vettel's very public availability gives Mercedes a little leverage in those discussions; I doubt they would have signed Bottas before Hamilton if Vettel wasn't on the market.

 

[MissChief]

To be fair every champion in more than a decade has put in such performances. Arguably Russell himself put in such a performance on Saturday.

Sadly Sunday showed why Russell isn't yet the man to replace Hamilton, but he's shown plenty to suggest he might become one. He wouldn't yet directly threaten Hamilton over a season (Hamilton's consistency is his biggest weapon now, not his speed), and Mercedes had enough in hand in 2020 and almost certainly 2021 to risk Hamilton vs a potential successor without losing out to Red Bull.

Presumably Mercedes only signed Bottas as they've received assurances that Hamilton will sign on for another couple of years, but if Hamilton were to unexpectedly switch to Ferrari to fulfil the dream that Senna never got the chance to, or retire, that would leave them in a potentially sticky situation. Is Bottas enough to win? Who else would they get at short notice to do the job? I suppose Vettel's very public availability gives Mercedes a little leverage in those discussions; I doubt they would have signed Bottas before Hamilton if Vettel wasn't on the market.

Should that happen I’d imagine they’ll ‘do a Bottas’ and Sign a driver from Williams for an engine discount. Clue, it won’t be Latifi!