Analyzing Mercedes' Complex Situation in the Driver Market

 

Ever since the end of 2018, critics have been calling for Valterri Bottas to be given the sack and rightfully so after his performances have been mediocre compared to his teammate Lewis Hamilton. Serious questions were asked last year when he was outclassed by George Russell who was standing in at Mercedes for Lewis Hamilton at the Sakhir Grand Prix.

Many have touted Russell to next year's seat at Mercedes alongside Hamilton considering his qualifying pace and Bottas' struggles. But one factor will not allow this to happen and that is the fact that Hamilton has a say in who his teammate will be. The seven time world champion has made it clear that he is comfortable with Bottas and doesn't want an ambitious youngster as his teammate.

Even Mercedes part-owner and boss Toto Wolff has made it clear that they do not want a scenario similar to what they had five years ago with friction between drivers Hamilton and Rosberg. That said, if Mercedes don't want to promote their own academy driver, then they may want to look elsewhere for a driver.

Experience has always been one of Mercedes' requirements when scouting for drivers, hence the driver they are most likely to shortlist would be Estaban Ocon and there are quite a few reasons for that.

Estaban Ocon is not only managed by Toto Wolff but is also doing a stellar job at Alpine by consistently outpacing teammate Fernando Alonso. His podium at Sakhir last year gave him a massive confidence boost after a poor 2020 season in which he showed he can play second fiddle to a teammate as he did with Daniel Ricciardo.

Mercedes have many decent options when you look at it, but the drivers they want in that seat are the ones who are managed by Toto Wolff (George Russell and Estaban Ocon). The one stumbling block in signing either one of these drivers is Lewis Hamilton. Not only does he want to keep Bottas as a teammate but he is blocking Mercedes' entire junior programme.

So, if Hamilton is to depart, then the perfect solution would be to form a talented youthful lineup of Ocon and Russell which Toto Wolff himself has said would come to pass sooner or later.