Mercedes Junior throws his hat in the ring as Lewis Hamilton's replacement for the 2025 F1 season

Mercedes junior Esteban Ocon has thrown his hat in the ring as a potential replacement for Lewis Hamilton at the German outfit in 2025.

The F1 world was taken by surprise when it was announced on Thursday, February 1, that Lewis Hamilton would be leaving the German team for Ferrari after the 2024 season.

The move has certainly led to a lot of commotion in the driver market as a seat at one of the top teams in F1 has opened up. With as many as 12 drivers out of contracts at the end of the 2024 season, there is a level of uncertainty around what could happen and who would fit where.

Esteban Ocon was a Mercedes junior driver at the start of his racing career, and is still managed by Toto Wolff even as a current driver for Alpine/Renault. When questioned about the possibility of him replacing Lewis Hamilton, Ocon told PlanetF1:

“It’s clear that we have links with Mercedes. I’m managed by Mercedes for a long time now, since 2015. I’m a junior, even if I’m not that junior anymore. But yeah, we’ll see what the future holds. As I said, at the moment, I’m completely dedicated to Alpine, what I have to do with the team and the plan that we have ahead as well."

He added,:

“And that’s the whole focus I need to have, because these things are very disruptive focus-wise and that’s why I have a very competitive management team that’s able to take the right choices on where we have to be, so I’m not worried and my focus is on the track.”

Esteban Ocon emphasizes performance being the criteria that gets him Lewis Hamilton's seat

Talking about what could ultimately result in him getting the Mercedes seat, Ocon stated that it all came down to his performance on the track. He said:

"It is always the case that no matter if you have a contract or not, if you don’t perform in F1, you’re out, doesn’t matter what the problem is."

The Frenchman stated that his goal was to maximise his performances going into 2024 with the hopes of future opportunities coming his way. He said:

Obviously I’m going into the year thinking I want to do the best I can and maximise the potential and if I do that at every race, there will always be opportunities and satisfaction by teams and there will be rumours and talks, and that’s a good thing. "

He added:

"If you do a good job, there is always these kinds of things. But I’m completely dedicated to Alpine for this year and we’ll see what the future holds.”

Lewis Hamilton's replacement at Mercedes will certainly be an interesting development. There are quite a few contenders for that seat and Ocon certainly looks to be one of them.