Lewis Hamilton: Sebastian Vettel return to F1 would be ‘amazing option’ for Mercedes for 2025 | F1 News

Lewis Hamilton says he “would love” for Sebastian Vettel to return to System 1 and the four-time champion can be an “superb possibility” to succeed him at Mercedes.

Hamilton, who has signed with Ferrari from 2025, additionally stated he want to see Mercedes change him with “somebody with integrity and values which can be aligned with the workforce and the place the workforce goes”.

Vettel retired from F1 on the finish of 2022 however, having by no means completely closed the door to a future return, advised Sky Sports activities on Wednesday that he was serious about the opportunity of a comeback and that he was “staying in contact” with workforce principals together with Mercedes’ Toto Wolff.

“I’d love for Seb to come back again,” stated Hamilton forward of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.

“He can be a tremendous possibility for the workforce.

“A German driver, a multi-world championship-winning driver and somebody who has acquired superb values and continues to take this workforce ahead.

“I might like it if he got here again.”

Hamilton on what he needs to see in his successor: ‘Somebody with compassion’

The seven-time champion was then requested if he had given any consideration to who Mercedes finally signed and whether or not he would favor to be succeeded by an skilled driver like Vettel or Max Verstappen – who Wolff has gone on document to state is his number-one goal – or a rookie.

After initially suggesting he was giving the matter “usually zero” thought, Hamilton then elaborated by stating: “I believe the one factor I actually care about is that the workforce takes on somebody with integrity and values which can be aligned with the workforce and the place the workforce goes.

“Somebody with compassion to work with all these nice individuals and proceed to elevate them up.

“There are such a lot of nice individuals on this workforce and, as drivers, there are some which can be extra egocentric than others, there are some which can be good drivers however maybe not one of the best inside workforce environments. I do not know as a result of I’ve not been in with all of them, however I hope they discover somebody nice.

“They’ve already acquired George [Russell] and he is good for the workforce so discovering a superb match alongside him. They have so many choices.”

Skilled names linked with the seat additionally embrace the in-form Carlos Sainz, who Hamilton is changing at Ferrari, and Williams’ Alex Albon.

Mercedes even have the in-house possibility of selling 17-year-old protege Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who’s at the moment competing in his maiden season of System 2.

And Hamilton, who got here via McLaren’s junior ranks as a highly-rated younger star to F1 nearly 20 years in the past, added: “I do suppose it is all the time nice to present a chance to up-and-coming drivers so the thought of a teenager coming in for me is thrilling.”

Russell himself stated he would welcome any arrival of Vettel as his subsequent team-mate.

“Sebastian’s a terrific particular person and he is a four-time world champion and for certain his persona is missed on the grid and I believe it is essential that we now have one of the best 20 drivers on the earth all competing for race wins and championships,” stated Russell.

“So, as I stated earlier than, I am actually joyful and open to having anyone as my team-mate, you recognize, whether or not it is world champion, whether or not it is a rookie, it does not change how I’m going about my enterprise. And yeah, as I stated, we’ll welcome anyone.”

Will Mercedes be any extra aggressive at Suzuka? ‘There may be positively efficiency there’

Hamilton and Mercedes’ rapid focus is on this weekend’s Japanese GP and a fourth spherical of a season which has to date dissatisfied for the previous champions.

Mercedes suffered their first two-car retirement from a race since 2018 final day trip in Melbourne whereas Hamilton, who dropped out at Albert Park with engine failure, has scored simply eight factors in 2024 to date with the workforce’s much-changed W15 automobile not but delivering the tempo the workforce had hoped.

“In fact, we now have not began the season the place we need to be and we have got a protracted approach to go,” stated Hamilton, who completed seventh in Bahrain and ninth in Saudi Arabia earlier than his Australia DNF.

“You’ve gotten seen previously – final 12 months, for instance – simply how issues can swap in sure groups. If you happen to take a look at Aston or McLaren final 12 months, who began on the again foot or the opposite means round.

“Something can occur on this sport so we now have simply acquired to be taught as a lot as we are able to, take as a lot as we are able to from the info, stay optimistic, proceed to work arduous.

“I all the time say it isn’t the way you fall, it is the way you stand up, so we will proceed to chase and struggle and hope that we may be combating on the entrance at some stage.”

With the workforce having acknowledged that the W15 efficiency on monitor via quicker corners shouldn’t be mirroring extra promising outcomes seen on their simulator, Hamilton says the workforce “are experiencing with all the things” on set-up and strategy so as to attempt to unlock a extra constant platform.

Requested if his early-year optimism about this automobile’s potential in comparison with its two disappointing predecessors from the present regulation period remained, Hamilton replied: “I positively do really feel extra optimistic about this automobile.

“Clearly the primary couple of races there was small showings of the automobile feeling nice and we’d have had tempo for a second after which it form of disappears.

“There may be positively efficiency there we simply have to work on making this automobile extra constant and simpler to drive.”

Suzuka, which options a few of the calendar’s quickest and most flowing sequences of corners, proved one among Mercedes’ weakest tracks final 12 months with Hamilton ending 50s behind race winner Max Verstappen.

Requested if he would have the required confidence within the W15 this weekend to be in concord with the figure-of-eight monitor, Hamilton stated: “The final three races are something to point out for it, unlikely, however we’re working in direction of it. So if it occurs that’ll be superb.

“However, both means, simply driving this monitor is such an unimaginable expertise for us drivers. Its the monitor that you just all the time dream of attending to drive whenever you’re youthful.”

Sky Sports activities F1’s dwell Japanese GP schedule

Friday April 5
3am: Japanese GP Apply One (session begins at 3.30am)*
6.45am: Japanese GP Apply Two (session begins at 7am)*
8.15am: The F1 Present*
10am: Japanese GP Apply One replay
11.30am: Japanese GP Apply Two replay

Saturday April 6
3.15am: Japanese GP Apply Three (session begins at 3.30am)*
6am: Japanese GP Qualifying build-up*
7am: Japanese GP Qualifying*
9am: Ted’s Qualifying Pocket book*
9.30am: Japanese GP Qualifying replay

Sunday April 7
5am: Grand Prix Sunday Japanese GP build-up*
6am: The JAPANESE GRAND PRIX*
8am: Chequered Flag: Japanese GP response*
9am: Ted’s Pocket book*
9.30am: Japanese Grand Prix highlights*
10.30am: Japanese Grand Prix replay

*additionally dwell on Sky Sports activities Essential Occasion

System 1’s largest ever season continues with the Japanese Grand Prix, dwell on Sky Sports activities F1 this weekend. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime

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