Lewis: I would love it if Vettel replaced me

LEWIS HAMILTON has described Sebastian Vettel as an ‘amazing option’ to replace him at Mercedes should the German driver shock the sport by coming out of retirement. Vettel, whose tally of 53 race wins is only bettered by Hamilton, Michael Schumacher and Max Verstappen, revealed in an interview with the BBC that he has considered ending his two-year exile.

That led to suggestions the four-time world champion would be a good fit for Mercedes, with Hamilton heading to Ferrari for the 2025 season. And Vettel, it would appear, has Hamilton’s blessing. ‘I would love for Seb to come back, I think it would be an amazing option for the team,’ said Hamilton.

‘He’s a German driver, a multiple world championship-winning driver and someone who has got amazing values to help take this team forward. The only thing I really care about is that the team take on someone with integrity, someone compassionate who’s able to work with great people.’ While Hamilton’s future lies away from the Silver Arrows, the 39-year-old insists he remains committed to turning around the team’s fortunes. His return of eight points from the first three races is his poorest beginning to a season since 2009. The Brit admits he will need to start looking to the future with Ferrari at some point, but for now his focus is on getting Mercedes back to the front of the grid. ‘I’m not quite sure how to navigate it but right now I want to finish on a high here so all my energy is going into this,’ said Hamilton. ‘I’m a competitor so I want to win. Thinking about next year is not going to help.’