Battle for Mercedes seat entertaining for Russell: 'Pretty funny'

Following the shocking news about Lewis Hamilton's transfer to Ferrari, speculation is ongoing about his possible replacement at Mercedes. A source of amusement for George Russell, as he has seen quite a few names appear on Toto Wolff's phone.

There are a lot of candidates for Hamilton's seat that becomes vacant in the 2025 Formula 1 season. Almost half of the grid will see their contracts expire after this year and for many, a spot with a top team would mean a big promotion. It will be no different at Red Bull Racing: Sergio Perez's contract also expires at the end of 2024 and it is far from certain that his contract will be renewed.

For Russell, it provides entertaining situations, he told GPblog: "We've already had a lot of conversations, and I've been with Toto a lot this winter. So seeing the drivers' names pop up on the telephones has been quite funny. And even on my phone as well, I've had a few phone calls and text messages. So it's been quite interesting."

Asked if he himself has a say in the choice of his future teammate, he said it is not true, although he stressed that harmony between the drivers and the team must be good. "Ultimately the decisions [are] with Toto and the board," says Russell. "But as a team, we're in a really good opportunity and position to go into this next chapter. It's been great. We've gained so much success with Lewis and Mercedes."

There is also another attempt to ask Fernando Alonso how he stands on the matter. The Aston Martin driver has been frequently linked with the seat at Mercedes, but says he has not yet made any decisions about his future. "Next week is going to be the same question. I’ll be consistent with the answer," said the two-time world champion.