Suggestions for Lewis Hamilton’s replacem💖ent at Mercedes have included some of For♏mula 1’s big names.

Fernando Alonso - and even the retired Seba♔stian Vettel - have cropped up in conversation for who c♉ould replace Ferrari-bound Hamilton.

Toto Wolff ಞwas even asked about the fantasy sig🧜ning of Max Verstappen.

But Oscar Piastri, despite a 🍌hugely impressive rooke F1 season, has not had much backing until his name was mooted o✅n the Sky F1 show.

Natalie Pinkham first tipped her Hamiltꦰon replacement: “I’d like to see Alex Albon in therꦓe. I think he deserves it.

“Going to Williams was brilliant for his career. It booꦇsted his confidence.

“But now i💟t’s time to take a step back to the front of the grid.🐓”

Martin Brundle added: “They will be looking at Fernando Alons💮o, Albon, don’t forget Esteban Ocon 🌠is within the Mercedes family, kind of on-loan to Alpine.

“Carlos Sainz has got to be on their list. I 🐭think t🍌hat’s their shortlist.”

But Karun Chandhok added a name: “I’d like to see either Sainz or Oscar Pi𓆉astri.

“We know Oscar has a contract with McLa🔯ren. But [his manager] Mark Webber has negotiated plenty of F1 contracts in the past and I’m sure there will be an escape clause somewhere, as we’ve seen with Lewis.

“Oscar’s debut season was brilliant. He hꦕad weaknesses in his race pace, no doubt about it, but he has anoth♏er season to build on that.

“I think Oscar🐠 and George as a line-up at Mercedes is a good one.”

Pinkham ask🧸ed: “But if you’re Oscar and Mark, would you go to Mercedes if you’ve seen that Lewis has left?

“And leave McLaren, which may be a better bet?”

Chandhok replied: “It’s whether you think it’s a better bet. Wit𓂃h the n♏ew engine formula coming in 2026, I’d want to go to a works team, as Lewis did in 2014.”

Whoever comes in will be alongside George Russell, 🤪who delivered M𒈔ercedes’ sole grand prix victory of the past two seasons in 2022 in Brazil.

Damon Hill said: “George will be sat there thinking: ‘Now it’s 𒐪my time𝓡, he’s left!’

“He will want to be regarded as the future of the tea꧑m, as the strong hope.

“So whoever comes al💜ongside him will have to fit into that.

“The fact that we are not thinking that Mercedes have George there, and will be as strong as ever, just shows the size of the hole that ꧃Lewis has left.”

Pinkham had the final say: “Alex and George are best mates, remembeꦫr…”

Williams have already issued a strong reminder that Albon’s contraꩲct runs until the end of 2025 so he won’t be a free ageꦇnt who Mercedes can acquire easily.

Al💧onso, at Aston Martin, will become a free agent at the endღ of this season, however.

It’s a similar story for Sa🔯inz at Ferrari. He will be replaced by Hamilton next year and is seeking a new landing spot.