SUZUKA – Lewis Hamilton said on April 4 that retired four-time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel would be an “amazing option” for Mercedes, as they look to fill the Briton’s seat next season.

Vettel, 36, told Sky Sports television on April 3 that he was “potentially” in the market for a 2025 comeback and was talking to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and others.

“I would love for Seb to come back and I think he would be an amazing option for the team,” Hamilton, who joins Ferrari next season, told a press conference at the Suzuka Circuit ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.

He said the German driver would be good fit for the German manufacturer and that Vettel’s racing pedigree and values would push forward a team trying to revive the form that delivered seven back-to-back drivers’ championships from 2014 to 2020.

Mercedes last had a German driver with Nico Rosberg, who retired after winning the 2016 world championship.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton has previously described Vettel as his favourite Formula One rival over the years. Vettel finished runner-up to Hamilton in 2017 and 2018 before calling time on his career at the end of 2022.

Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate George Russell also said it would be good to see Vettel back on the track.

“Sebastian’s a great person... For sure, his personality is missed on the grid and I think it’s important that we have the best 20 drivers in the world all competing for race wins and championships,” he said.

“I’m really happy and open to have anybody as my teammate, whether it’s a world champion or a rookie it doesn’t change how I go about my business.”

Hamilton will be taking Australian GP winner Carlos Sainz’s seat at Ferrari next season and Wolff has suggested that the Spaniard could go the other way.

He is the only non-Red Bull driver to win a race in the last two seasons.

Sainz said on April 4 that he wanted his future to be sorted out “sooner rather than later”, adding that he has been speaking to “pretty much all” the F1 teams.

“It’s a matter of going more into detail and seeing the more realistic options and what are the best options for me and my future,” he said.

“The only thing I would say is that it’s time now to speed up a bit everything and hopefully we can get it sorted out sooner rather than later.”

However, Mercedes’ top target remains Red Bull’s three-time world champion Max Verstappen.

The 26-year-old reiterated on April 4 that he could walk away from F1 when his Red Bull contract expires in 2028, but insisted he was “very happy” at the team.

The Dutchman won the first two grands prix of the season but he has endured weeks of off-track turbulence at all-conquering Red Bull.

He suggested in Saudi Arabia in March that he would consider leaving if the team parted company with long-term mentor Helmut Marko.

It followed his father Jos claiming that Red Bull faced being “torn apart” if team boss Christian Horner remained in his position.

Asked on April 4 if he would still be with the team next year, Verstappen said: “I’m very happy where I’m at, and we want to keep it that way.

“I have a contract with Red Bull until ’28 – after that, I first want to see if I even want to continue.

“That’s for me the most important – it’s not so much about where. These kind of things I don’t really think about at the moment.”

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who is out of contract at the 2024 term, felt there was “zero chance” of Verstappen leaving Red Bull at the end of the season.

Asked whether the Dutchman’s exit could impact his and other drivers’ battle for seats, Alonso said: “If Max leaves Red Bull maybe that has an impact but I think there’s zero chance of that happening.” REUTERS, AFP