T𝔍oto Wolff did not rule out seeing Max Verstappen or Fernando Alonso in a Mercedes𝐆, in Lewis Hamilton’s place.

📖Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari for the F1 2🌳025 season has left his current team with a gigantic hole to fill.

Mercedes’ desir💞e to recruit the best possible driver will be somewhat limited by the big-money contracts that exist elsewhere, for example Lando Norris with McLaren and Charles Leclerc with Ferrari.

Wolff was asked if a sensational move 𒅌for Verstappen or Alonso could materialis♏e.

"48 hours ago, I wouldn't have thought that Lewis꧟ would tell me that he was going to drive for Ferrari next year,” he replied on Friday to .

“That's why I wouldn't rule anything 🌳out in Formula 1.

“Drivers make decisions about whethe💫r or not to ride for a team.💝 It depends on the circumstances.

“And if at some point a driver says he doesn't want to drive anymore, there൲ is little remedy for it. That's why I wouldn't rule anything out, no one at any time.

"We will always strive to have the best possible driver combination in our car and look for eacꦕh 🦂and every one of these conversations.

“You can 💎see how quickly a situation can change. At the same time, of course, we respect contracts th𝓡at exist.

“Drivers🎀 will always want to sit in th🔯e fastest car.

“I think💦 now it's up to us to demonstrate that we can build the fastest ♑car. Not only in the short and medium term, but also in the long term, especially in the new regulations. That creates opportunities, but the ball is in our court.

"I'm l💛ooking forward to making the right decisions together with my colleagues about who will be in this cockpit next year.

"Maybe this is the chanceꦫ to do something brave. Contracts are o⛎nly good as long as the driver or the team wants to race together.”

Alonso’s cur✃rent deal with Aston Martin is due to expire at the endꦜ of this season, making him a plausible candidate.

Bu𝕴t he will be 43 next year, making him the only current F1 driver older than Hamilton.

Verstappen, meanwhile, is💎 contrac🎶ted to Red Bull until 2028.

He will challenge for a fourth consecutive F1 championship thཧis year and his partnership with Red Bull shows no sign of slowing down.