Eddie Jordan tells Mercedes to hire £9.6m-a-year driver George Russell ‘will not want’ to face

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It would be a surprise if Mercedes weren’t the next Formula 1 team to complete their 2025 driver line-up.

After Fernando Alonso confirmed he would be staying with Aston Martin, another avenue shut for the dozen or so drivers hoping to sign a contract for next year and beyond.

Speaking on the Formula For Success Podcast, Eddie Jordan has been talking about who could join Toto Wolff’s outfit for 2025.

If everything had gone to plan for Wolff, it would be Lewis Hamilton and George Russell driving for Mercedes.

The seven-time world champion had a contract until the end of next season, but he exercised a clause that allowed him to join Ferrari in 2025.

Mercedes need a new teammate for Russell, and Jordan has suggested that Carlos Sainz would be a ‘great addition’.

The Spaniard – who currently earns £9.6m-a-year at Ferrari – has been ousted by the Italian outfit to make room for Hamilton.

Jordan would now like to see a straight swap take place but isn’t sure Russell will be too pleased with that outcome.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Mercedes AMG F1 Team from team principal to lineage

Eddie Jordan suggests Carlos Sainz would be ‘great’ for Mercedes alongside George Russell

Another candidate to drive for Mercedes next season drove a Formula 1 car for the first time this week.

Teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli stepped up to Formula 2 this year after being fast-tracked past F3 and just tested an F1 car in Austria.

There have been suggestions that Antonelli could end up at Williams, but in an ideal world, he’ll be ready to immediately replace Lewis Hamilton.

However, that might not be the case given his lack of experience in which case Wolff will need a Plan B.

Eddie Jordan believes Carlos Sainz is a very good option for Mercedes, but isn’t sure George Russell will be very happy with his arrival.

After years of working with Hamilton, he’ll feel he’s ready to lead the team but the three-time race winner might prevent him from fulfilling that role.

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz’s life outside F1 from full name, girlfriend and height

Mercedes have to choose between youth and experience for 2025 line-up

Speaking about who should drive for Mercedes next year, Jordan said: “Toto [Wolff] is hard to pin down and he plays a very good poker hand.

“I think [Andrea Kimi] Antonelli is probably one of the favourites there.

“Carlos Sainz would be a great addition, there’s absolutely no doubt about that. Toto has to be careful because he manages George Russell.

“For sure, George Russell will not want Carlos Sainz in that car and it’s not his decision to do that, but I just feel that there’ll be enough pressure put on Toto to make the situation in favour of the young up-and-coming driver.”

As Jordan says, Russell is unlikely to have a huge say on who Mercedes hire for next season and Sainz would be a very strong option.

READ MORE: Mercedes driver George Russell’s life outside F1 from net worth to height

The Spaniard might be holding on to see if Red Bull part ways with Sergio Perez and will be well aware of how desperate Audi are to sign him.

However, Mercedes would be an interesting prospect but the unknowns of who is going to nail the new regulations in 2026 make life incredibly difficult for unsigned drivers right now.

Nelson Piquet Jr. thinks Sainz is the best option for Mercedes, and reports already suggest that he’s convinced he could beat Russell in the same car.