01 February 2024 , 15:44
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Ralf Schumacher thinks his nephew Mick could be a prime candidate to fill the sizeable chasm left by Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.
It has not yet been officially confirmed, but Hamilton is set to head to Ferrari at the end of the coming season. Mercedes staff were informed of the impending announcement at a team meeting at the team's Brackley base on Thursday afternoon.
He will continue to race for Mercedes in the upcoming 2024 campaign regardless. But, after this year, the team will have the unenviable task of finding someone to replace the seven-time world champion.
Mick Schumacher is currently the reserve driver for the Silver Arrows. And, speaking to Sky Sports News about the situation, his uncle Ralf suggested the 24-year-old may be in the frame.
"Toto Wolff is clever enough, he always like to have young guys," he said. "Now, [George] Russell is strong enough to lead the team and so it's time to get a new driver on board.
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"Obviously, there are some other drivers around - Carlos Sainz, but I think he will end up at Audi eventually so that's really not an option. He still has a really young driver [Antonelli] in his corner, we will have to wait and see how he develops. At the moment, Mick can for sure have a chance. They still have time."
Schumacher has two seasons of F1 experience under his belt, but none at all of racing for a team with title ambitions. He spent those two years with Haas, scoring points on just two occasions before he was unceremoniously dumped in favour of the more experienced Nico Hulkenberg.
Wolff was quick to snap up young Schumacher as reserve driver for Mercedes and he performed that role throughout the 2023 season. He will continue this year as well, splitting his time between those duties and a season racing for Alpine in the World Endurance Championship.
Promoting him from reserve to a race seat would be an easy thing for Mercedes to do. However, it seems unlikely that Wolff, regardless of his personal relationship with Schumacher, will entrust that seat with someone whose first stint in F1 went so poorly.
Instead, the favourites to replace Hamilton are likely to be more experienced campaigners. Carlos Sainz will no doubt be linked given it is his Ferrari seat that the seven-time world champion will be filling. Esteban Ocon is another potential candidate, given that the Alpine driver's career is still managed by Mercedes.