Lewis Hamilton's possible replacement at Mercedes would be 'the best possible driver available'

F1 pundit Peter Windsor mentioned that Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris could be the 'best possible replacement for Lewis Hamilton if he leaves the team.

The seven-time world champion's contract with the German team is up at the end of the 2023 season. Although there are indications that he might sign a contract extension with them, the team can look for viable options throughout the grid.

During his Live Stream on his YouTube channel, Windsor said:

"So Mercedes were unafraid to go for George Russell and not listen to Lewis, who wanted to continue with Valtteri because they wanted the best possible young, fast driver they could get in the car for the sake of the constructor's championship I guess."

"On that basis, they will still try and get the best possible driver. So I would think they might be looking at Leclerc or Lando."

"I think it may sound naïve but I really struggle to think of a Plan B" - Toto Wolff on Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff mentioned that keeping Lewis Hamilton beyond this season is Plan A for him and he does not have a Plan B if that does not materialize.

Speaking to Autosport, he said:

"I think it may sound naïve but I really struggle to think of a Plan B, if my Plan A is still the one that is my favorite. I don't want to engage in discussions with other drivers, because I'm happy with the ones that are on the team, that's for sure. At the moment, there is no Plan B. It's Lewis."

"I think that he would tell us early enough. I don't think that Lewis would say: 'I can't do this anymore. I'm out of here tomorrow.' He would always feel responsibility for the team. He wouldn't leave the team alone. Drivers can always take decisions [like that], but he wouldn't let us down. But then, I think if you believe that you're a team that is attractive for others, you will find solutions."

It is highly unlikely that Lewis Hamilton will not continue with Mercedes after 2023. It would be fascinating to see if the German team will really go for Charles Leclerc or Lando Norris alongside fellow young gun George Russell.