Lewis Hamilton has publicly endorsed the candidacy of his former long-time F1 rival Sebastian Vettel as his successor at Mercedes for 2025.
Vettel, a four-time F1 champion himself, retired from the game on the shut of the 2022 season.
Nevertheless, latest conversations with Mercedes crew principal Toto Wolff recommend a possible change of coronary heart and a return to the grid for the 36-year-old German.
Such a comeback wouldn’t be unprecedented, with Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen, and Fernando Alonso all efficiently returning to the fray in F1.
“You’re all the time going to overlook it,” Hamilton instructed the media forward of this weekend’s Japanese GP. “It’s the best sport on the earth, the best expertise on the earth.
“It’s probably the most superb feeling to be working with a gaggle of individuals in direction of successful and attaining one thing.
“For me, there’s nothing that’s ever going to really feel the identical.”
Hamilton has thrown his weight behind Vettel’s comeback, highlighting the latter’s expertise, expertise, and shared values as an ideal match for the Mercedes crew.
“I’d love for Seb to come back again,” mentioned the Briton. “I feel he can be an incredible possibility for the crew.
“A German driver, a multi-world championship-winning driver; somebody who has bought superb values and might proceed to take this crew ahead, I’d find it irresistible if he got here again.”
Mercedes’ coveted 2025 seat alongside George Russell has predictably additionally attracted the curiosity of Carlos Sainz, whom Hamilton is about to switch at Ferrari, and of Fernando Alonso.
Hamilton detailed the traits and qualities he hopes Mercedes will take into account throughout their seek for his successor.
“I feel the one factor I’d care about is that the crew takes on somebody with integrity and is aligned with the crew and the place the crew goes,” he mentioned.
“Somebody with compassion that’s in a position to work with actually nice individuals and proceed to raise them up. There are such a lot of nice individuals on this crew.
“As drivers, there are some who’re extra egocentric than others, there are some who’re good drivers however maybe not one of the best in a crew atmosphere.
“They’ve already bought George [Russell], he’s good for the crew, discovering an excellent match beside him, they’ve bought so many choices.”
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