Stuck: Hamilton and Mercedes are facing a very difficult season

Hans-Joachim Stuck, a former Formula 1 driver who competed in the World Championship in the 1970s and went on to have a successful career in endurance racing, believes Mercedes will be in a difficult position next season due to Lewis Hamilton’s decision to switch steps to Ferrari in 2025.

If recently the team’s prospects were quite clearly visible, its composition was stable and Hamilton was one of the main factors on which its progress depends, now a lot is changing. But before Mercedes can refocus and find his replacement, the team and the seven-time champion will have to work together for a full season – his last at Brackley.

“I predict that Hamilton and Mercedes will have a very difficult season in 2024,” said the 73-year-old motorsport veteran in an interview with Eurosport. – To what extent will Toto Wolff continue to support him? As you know they are good friends, but will Hamilton feel the same support and will he still be allowed to work on upgrading the car? Of course he takes all the team’s secrets to Ferrari.

When upcoming changes are announced at the end of the season, this is an understandable situation. But of course you have to make a plan for the longer term. First of all, Wolff must decide who he wants to replace Lewis. Which candidates will be available? But something else is even more important: what kind of driver suits Mercedes?”

Stuck has no doubt that George Russell is a high-quality professional and capable of becoming the new team leader, but who will be his new teammate in a year’s time? Maybe Mercedes will take a risk and bet on the young Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli, a talented driver in the team’s youth program?

“Maybe they should really take this opportunity and bet on a newcomer like Kimi Antonelli, who has been winning everything lately. If there is such an opportunity, why not take the risk? However, Mercedes has many options. Wolff is a smart person and will make the right decision,” concludes Stuck.

Source: F1 News

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