Damon Hill thinks ‘quick’ 27-y/o ‘fits really well’ at Mercedes to replace Lewis Hamilton

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Damon Hill thinks Alex Albon might be the ideal replacement for Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025 as the Williams gem would ‘fit really well’ in the Formula 1 team.

The Silver Arrows are searching for a new star driver after Hamilton shocked the paddock in February. Mercedes only gave the 39-year-old a new contract covering the 2024 and 2025 seasons in August. But Hamilton used his escape clause to agree a move to Ferrari for 2025.

Ferrari moved fast to put a multi-year contract on the table after learning that Hamilton had a release clause at Mercedes. He will now replace Carlos Sainz at the end of this year after a 12th campaign in Brackley. The seven-time F1 champion moved to the Silver Arrows in 2013.

Mercedes and Red Bull are interested in signing Williams F1 driver Alex Albon

Mercedes are in a strong position to replace Hamilton with nearly half of the Formula 1 grid out of contract. But Mark Hughes of The Race reports that Toto Wolff considers Andrea Kimi Antonelli to be their ‘Plan A’ option as their 17-year-old talent is the ‘next Max Verstappen’.

Yet Brackley chiefs have also shown an interest in Albon with Motorsport.com reporting that Red Bull have moved to discuss a first option for the Williams driver to block Mercedes. The option would place Red Bull at the front of the queue to sign the London-born Thai for 2026.

Williams team principal James Vowles has stressed that Albon is under contract in Grove for 2024 and 2025. It was previously thought that the 27-year-old’s contract expired after 2024, which would have seen Albon play a big role in the driver market with several seats opening.

Damon Hill thinks Alex Albon would ‘fit really well’ as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement

But 1996 F1 champion Hill still feels Albon would be a perfect option to replace Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025. The former Williams driver believes the Red Bull driver academy product would suit the Silver Arrows ‘really well’ and he is already close friends with George Russell.

“Alex Albon would fit really well in that team,” Hill said on Sky Sports F1 (29/2, 16:22). “Now I think about it, I think he’s mature. I think he’s got experience.

“He’s mature and he’s still young and quick. I think he’d fit in really well in that Mercedes team and understand the culture, and have a good relationship with George, and be quick and be able to deliver points.”

Albon put his market value through the roof in 2023 by leading Williams to seventh in the F1 constructors’ championship. He scored 27 of their 28 points beside rookie Logan Sargeant to get the team’s best finish since fifth in 2017. So, Vowles will fight Mercedes to keep Albon.