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TOTO WOLFF felt like he has been “punched in the nose” after Lewis Hamilton dropped the bombshell he was quitting Mercedes to join Ferrari.Mercedes boss Wolff says he had heard rumours of Hamilton’s defection for the 2025 season but did not want to believe them.
Sir Lewis Hamilton is leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari next seasonCredit: Alamy
And revealed he only discovered Hamilton was off after the Brit told him over breakfast on Wednesday.
Wolff says it is at a loss to understand what has convinced the 39-year-old to jump ship after only agreeing a two-year deal last summer.
Wolff said: “What happened is that we got together for coffee at my place in Oxford when he was returning to the factory and he said to me that he had decided to race for Ferrari in 2025.”
Wolff added: “The surprise was that I’d heard the rumours a couple of days earlier but wanted to wait for the breakfast we had planned.
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“It was Wednesday morning and this is when he broke the news…once he said this is what I wanted to do, I didn’t try to convince him otherwise.”
Hamilton and Wolff have struck up a great friendship during their 11 years at Mercedes but admits he was stunned to discover his star driver is off to their rivals.
The move is particularly upsetting given that Wolff is also chums with Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur who has persuaded Hamilton to change teams.
Wolff added: “I have great respect for Fred, not only as a racing manager, but also as a longtime friend.
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“On the relationship. It is a tough competition, a cutthroat environment and as much as I try to do the best for our group, he will do that for Ferrari.
“It’s a little bit like rugby. We punch each other in the nose, but we are able to get off the pitch and have a respectful relationship.”
Hamilton only agreed a two-year deal last summer and Wolff says his discussions with the Brit over the winter were only focussed on Mercedes.
And the Austrian says he is at a loss to understand what has caused Hamilton to change his mind.
He said: “I cannot tell you exactly [what caused Hamilton to change]. I only know that we were very aligned when we went into the Christmas period.
“We’ve said that in public and in the team. You need to ask Lewis why he changed his mind.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff learned of Hamilton’s exit during breakfastCredit: Getty
“How he framed it to me was that he needed a new challenge and that he was looking for a different environment and it was maybe the last possibility to do something else.
“We totally respect that. You can change your mind and switch to Ferrari maybe for the last gig in his career, maybe rolling the dice a bit.”
Wolff will now turn his attention to picking Hamilton’s replacement to drive alongside George Russell.
With Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris both signing new long-term deals at Ferrari and McLaren respectively, he admits his options are more-limited.
He added: “Some drivers will be coming available, others just signed a few weeks ago, so these would have been opportunities six weeks earlier.
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“But it is what it is. In 2025 and beyond the driver market is very interesting and we need to look out to the future.
“Who is it that we can partner with George? What’s the best combination? There’s a variety of options and I want to take my time.”
WHO COULD REPLACE HAMILTON AT MERCEDES? Mercedes will have a vacant seat for 2025.
Here, SunSport’s F1 correspondent Ben Hunt looks at FIVE potential candidates who could replace him and partner George Russell in the Silver Arrows.
Oscar Piastri – McLaren have sewn up Lando Norris to a new long-term contract that should (in theory) put him out of Mercedes’ reach. However, they are yet to tie down his teammate Piastri, 22. The Aussie has an excellent record and won the Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles before spending a year on the sidelines with Alpine and getting his chance in F1 with McLaren. He impressed on his debut season last year and has the potential to be a world champion.
Daniel Ricciardo – The experienced driver’s future remains in doubt as he bides his time at Red Bull’s B-team. Ricciardo would be low-hassle and offer some stability but by that time he would be 35. It seems unlikely that they would opt for him at this point in his career, but if he has a good season this year, he could come into the reckoning.
Kimi Antonelli – You may not have heard of the Italian, but he is mustard. Still only 17, he has won at all the junior categories and has been part of the Mercedes young driver programme since 2019. This season he has been promoted from F4 to F2, where he has been tipped to shine. A good debut season in F2 could sway Mercedes into taking a risk on him for 2025. Antonelli and his family are close to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
Mick Schumacher – Wolff has always been so incredibly supportive of Schumacher and spoken highly of him, that you’d at least expect him to come into consideration. He knows the team from his role as reserve driver and consequently would get up to speed. But speed is also the problem. He was shocking at Haas and if he really was THAT good, he’d still be driving in F1.
Alex Albon – A more-sensible choice would be the London-born Albon. A great guy who is also very quick. He has a fantastic relationship with Russell and would be the low-maintenance quick partnership similar to Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas that swept to successive titles. Albon would take little convincing to join from Williams and Mercedes would not need to pay him half of the £50million they were dishing out to Hamilton. More

LEWIS HAMILTON’S first race as a Ferrari driver has been “leaked” by an iconic Formula One track.Hamilton, 39, rocked the world of motorsport by yesterday signing a shock deal with Ferrari from the 2025 season.
The venue of Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari debut may have been leakedCredit: AFP
The Australia Grand Prix posted this graphic on their page before deleting itCredit: X @ausgrandprix
He will become the 12th British racer to drive a Ferrari in F1 as he bids to win a record eighth world title.
The official Australia Grand Prix account posted a graphic suggesting Hamilton’s Ferrari debut would be at Albert Park in 2025 rather than in Bahrain where the season starts this year on March 2.
However, the post was swiftly deleted.
There has been no confirmation yet on the venue of the 2025 season opener.
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It would be a major shakeup to the calendar not seen for six years.
Australia previously hosted the season opener for F1 seasons between 2011 and 2019.
Before Melbourne, Adelaide was Australia’s resident F1 circuit from 1985 to 1995, though Adelaide was never a track which kick started an F1 season.
This run came to an end when the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, with Austria taking over the mantle that season.
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Bahrain have hosted each of the opening races since 2021.
Between 1996 and 2019, Albert Park in Melbourne played host to F1 season openers in all but two years.
Hamilton will pocked £100million to join Ferrari in a switch that has shocked F1.
The seven-time world champion agreed to drive for F1’s most famous team in 2025 and 2026.
In a statement issued by Mercedes, Hamilton, 39, said he was committed to finishing the season with Mercedes before taking on a new challenge.
He said: “I have had an amazing 11 years with this team and I’m so proud of what we have achieved together.
“Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13 years old.
“It’s a place where I have grown up, so making the decision to leave was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make.

“But the time is right for me to take this step and I’m excited to be taking on a new challenge.
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“I will be forever grateful for the incredible support of my Mercedes family, especially Toto for his friendship and leadership and I want to finish on a high together.
“I am 100 percent committed to delivering the best performance I can this season and making my last year with the Silver Arrows, one to remember.”
WHO COULD REPLACE HAMILTON AT MERCEDES? Mercedes will have a vacant seat for 2025.
Here, SunSport’s F1 correspondent Ben Hunt looks at FIVE potential candidates who could replace him and partner George Russell in the Silver Arrows.
Oscar Piastri – McLaren have sewn up Lando Norris to a new long-term contract that should (in theory) put him out of Mercedes’ reach. However, they are yet to tie down his teammate Piastri, 22. The Aussie has an excellent record and won the Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles before spending a year on the sidelines with Alpine and getting his chance in F1 with McLaren. He impressed on his debut season last year and has the potential to be a world champion.
Daniel Ricciardo – The experienced driver’s future remains in doubt as he bides his time at Red Bull’s B-team. Ricciardo would be low-hassle and offer some stability but by that time he would be 35. It seems unlikely that they would opt for him at this point in his career, but if he has a good season this year, he could come into the reckoning.
Kimi Antonelli – You may not have heard of the Italian, but he is mustard. Still only 17, he has won at all the junior categories and has been part of the Mercedes young driver programme since 2019. This season he has been promoted from F4 to F2, where he has been tipped to shine. A good debut season in F2 could sway Mercedes into taking a risk on him for 2025. Antonelli and his family are close to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
Mick Schumacher – Wolff has always been so incredibly supportive of Schumacher and spoken highly of him, that you’d at least expect him to come into consideration. He knows the team from his role as reserve driver and consequently would get up to speed. But speed is also the problem. He was shocking at Haas and if he really was THAT good, he’d still be driving in F1.
Alex Albon – A more-sensible choice would be the London-born Albon. A great guy who is also very quick. He has a fantastic relationship with Russell and would be the low-maintenance quick partnership similar to Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas that swept to successive titles. Albon would take little convincing to join from Williams and Mercedes would not need to pay him half of the £50million they were dishing out to Hamilton.

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THERE is a delicious irony in Lewis Hamilton deciding his best chance of a record eighth F1 title lies with Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari team.The two drivers are tied on seven world championships apiece with Hamilton 103-91 ahead on race wins.
Lewis Hamilton has completed a shock move to Ferrari from the start of the 2025 seasonCredit: AFP
Hamilton will look to emulate Michael Schumacher when he pulls on the red overallsCredit: AFP
The Briton will be 40 when he pulls on the red race-overalls to drive for F1’s most iconic team in 2025 — but don’t let that fool you into thinking he is over the hill.
Hamilton could have stayed with Mercedes where he had a contract in place for next year but instead of sticking, has decided to twist.
It is not motivated by money — rather his desire to secure that elusive eighth world crown.
Despite Red Bull making it clear they did not see him as part of their future, Hamilton appears to have run out of confidence in Mercedes after they delivered two dud cars in successive seasons.
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Just as Schumacher did when he joined Ferrari in 1996, Hamilton has the potential to galvanise the Italian team and turn them into world-beaters.
The reality is he needs Ferrari as much as they need him to help deliver their first constructors’ title since 2008.
Hamilton’s move is unexpected — despite incorrect reports saying it was done last summer — but not out of character.
When he quit McLaren in 2012 to join Mercedes the following season, many questioned the logic.
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McLaren were regular winners and Mercedes were not.
But the late Niki Laudi sold Hamilton on the Silver Arrows’ vision for 2014 and beyond — a new era of regulations with hybrid engines — and he joined a year ahead of those changes.
He went on to add SIX titles to the one he won in 2008 at McLaren in a crushing spell of dominance.
Fast forward 11 years and we are faced with a similar prospect. New rules are coming in for 2026 — and Hamilton is going a year earlier.This time, Fred Vasseur delivered the pitch and Hamilton knows the Ferrari team principal well, having won the GP2 title in 2006 for his ART team.
The pace at which the deal was concluded, as he exercised the break-clause in his Mercedes deal, clearly caught his current employers out.
Mercedes hurriedly briefed their staff on Thursday that their star driver was off — a killer blow ahead of a new season which starts in Bahrain on March 2.
So what next? Hamilton faces a tricky 11 months at a team who know he is departing for their rivals.
For the first time in his career he will be the outsider in his own team and excluded from meetings about the development of Mercedes’ challenger for 2025.
Schumacher and Hamilton are tied on seven world titles eachCredit: EPAWHO COULD REPLACE HAMILTON AT MERCEDES? Mercedes will have a vacant seat for 2025.

Here, SunSport’s F1 correspondent Ben Hunt looks at FIVE potential candidates who could replace him and partner George Russell in the Silver Arrows.
Oscar Piastri – McLaren have sewn up Lando Norris to a new long-term contract that should (in theory) put him out of Mercedes’ reach. However, they are yet to tie down his teammate Piastri, 22. The Aussie has an excellent record and won the Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles before spending a year on the sidelines with Alpine and getting his chance in F1 with McLaren. He impressed on his debut season last year and has the potential to be a world champion.
Daniel Ricciardo – The experienced driver’s future remains in doubt as he bides his time at Red Bull’s B-team. Ricciardo would be low-hassle and offer some stability but by that time he would be 35. It seems unlikely that they would opt for him at this point in his career, but if he has a good season this year, he could come into the reckoning.
Kimi Antonelli – You may not have heard of the Italian, but he is mustard. Still only 17, he has won at all the junior categories and has been part of the Mercedes young driver programme since 2019. This season he has been promoted from F4 to F2, where he has been tipped to shine. A good debut season in F2 could sway Mercedes into taking a risk on him for 2025. Antonelli and his family are close to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
Mick Schumacher – Wolff has always been so incredibly supportive of Schumacher and spoken highly of him, that you’d at least expect him to come into consideration. He knows the team from his role as reserve driver and consequently would get up to speed. But speed is also the problem. He was shocking at Haas and if he really was THAT good, he’d still be driving in F1.
Alex Albon – A more-sensible choice would be the London-born Albon. A great guy who is also very quick. He has a fantastic relationship with Russell and would be the low-maintenance quick partnership similar to Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas that swept to successive titles. Albon would take little convincing to join from Williams and Mercedes would not need to pay him half of the £50million they were dishing out to Hamilton.

But one thing for sure —  Hamilton will want to go out with a bang.
He is desperate for a race  win to end the longest wait of his career — stretching back to the penultimate race of the 2021 season in Saudi Arabia before he lost his world crown to Max Verstappen.
His arrival will be a shot in the arm to Ferrari and act as a wake-up call to eradicate the  operational mistakes which have cost them in recent years.
He was personally selected by Ferrari chairman John Elkann, a long-term admirer of Hamilton’s talent.
It will also add pressure on Charles Leclerc, the Ferrari driver who has just signed a new deal with the team but has a poor conversation rate of five wins in 23 pole positions.
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It makes for an exciting prospect and is the shot in the arm F1 needed after Verstappen’s dominance in 2023.
We might have to wait another year before the Red Bull ace is seriously challenged but the prospect of Verstappen being challenged by Hamilton in a Ferrari is tantalising. More

LEWIS HAMILTON bid an emotional farewell to Mercedes as he confirmed his shock exit.The legendary driver will leave the Silver Arrows at the end of 2024, with Ferrari confirmed Hamilton WILL join them for 2025 and 2026 after penning a whopping £100million contract.
Lewis Hamilton is leaving Mercedes at the end of 2024Credit: PA
But as the news of his Mercedes departure was announced at 7pm, he broke his silence with a classy message.
Hamilton, 39, said: “I have had an amazing 11 years with this team and I’m so proud of what we have achieved together.
“Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13 years old.
“It’s a place where I have grown up, so making the decision to leave was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make.
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“But the time is right for me to take this step and I’m excited to be taking on a new challenge.
“I will be forever grateful for the incredible support of my Mercedes family, especially Toto for his friendship and leadership and I want to finish on a high together.
“I am 100 per cent committed to delivering the best performance I can this season and making my last year with the Silver Arrows, one to remember.”
Hamilton activated a clause in his latest contract to trigger his exit.
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It means the Stevenage star will depart after an 18-year partnership with Mercedes in Formula One.
From his debut season in 2007 to 2012, Hamilton raced for McLaren Mercedes.
And in 2013, he joined the Brackley giants’ F1 team, winning six of his world championship titles.
He came second to team-mate Nico Rosberg in 2016 before agonisingly being pipped on the final lap of the 2021 season by Max Verstappen.
After a nightmare year in 2022, he bounced back to finish third in the drivers’ championship – but his long wait for a chequered flag goes on.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff – who must find a replacement for Hamilton – added: “In terms of a team-driver pairing, our relationship with Lewis has become the most successful the sport has seen, and that’s something we can look back on with pride.
“Lewis will always be an important part of Mercedes motorsport history.

“However, we knew our partnership would come to a natural end at some point, and that day has now come.
“We accept Lewis’s decision to seek a fresh challenge, and our opportunities for the future are exciting to contemplate.
“But for now, we still have one season to go, and we are focused on going racing to deliver a strong 2024.”
Ferrari confirmed the news minutes after Mercedes, releasing their own statement that simply said: “Scuderia Ferrari is pleased to announce that Lewis Hamilton will be joining the team in 2025, on a multi-year contract.”
The bombshell switch will see him partner Charles Leclerc and comes after Red Bull had made it clear they did not see Hamilton in their team.
And that spells the end for Carlos Sainz at Ferrari.
The Spaniard tweeted: “Following today’s news, Scuderia Ferrari and myself will part ways at the end of 2024.
“We still have a long season ahead of us and, like always, I will give my absolute best for the team and for the Tifosi all around the world.
“News about my future will be announced in due course.”
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SunSport understands Hamilton brokered the deal himself thanks to swift negotiations with Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur.
The two are friends and in 2006 Hamilton won the GP2 title driving for Vasseur’s ART teams.
Toto Wolff paid tribute to his departing legendCredit: Splash
Hamilton will wear the famous red of the Scuderia in 2025 and 2026Credit: AP
Carlos Sainz announced his exit minutes after the Hamilton news brokeCredit: Reuters More

SIR LEWIS HAMILTON sent shockwaves around the world when it was announced he will be joining Ferrari.Hamilton, 39, is poised to end his glittering 11-year stint with Mercedes to join the Formula One giants for the 2025 season despite agreeing a two-year deal with his current team.

Sir Lewis Hamilton is leaving Mercedes to join FerrariCredit: Getty
Steve Jones claims Enzo Ferrari told him Hamilton is joining FerrariCredit: AFP
F1 fans were left stunned following the announcement, except one – Channel 4 presenter Steve Jones.
Jones claimed he has known about Sir Lewis’ imminent move to Ferrari since last May.
The TV host linked up with Hamilton’s soon-to-be ex-teammate George Russell for an interview in Monaco.
And that is when the presenter told Russell he would be losing his partner because of a vision he had.
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And in it he saw none other than Ferrari founder Enzo Ferrari – who died in 1988 – telling him Hamilton is joining his team.
Jones said almost nine months ago: “It’s happening. I’ve seen it in one of my visions.
“The ghost of Enzo Ferrari came to me and he said, ‘Lewis, you are coming to Ferrari’.
“It’s happening. We can’t stop it at this point.”
Most read in MotorsportWHO COULD REPLACE HAMILTON AT MERCEDES?Mercedes will have a vacant seat for 2025.

Here, SunSport’s F1 correspondent Ben Hunt looks at FIVE potential candidates who could replace him and partner George Russell at the Silver Arrows.
Oscar Piastri – McLaren have sewn up Lando Norris to a new long-term contract that should (in theory) put him out of Mercedes’ reach. However, they are yet to tie down his teammate Piastri, 22. The Aussie has an excellent record and won the Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles before spending a year on the sidelines with Alpine and getting his chance in F1 with McLaren. He impressed on his debut season last year and has the potential to be a world champion.
Daniel Ricciardo – The experienced driver’s future remains in doubt as he bides his time at Red Bull’s B-team. Ricciardo would be low-hassle and offer some stability but by that time he would be 35. It seems unlikely that they would opt for him at this point in his career, but if he has a good season this year, he could come into the reckoning.
Kimi Antonelli – You may not have heard of the Italian, but he is mustard. Still only 17, he has won at all the junior categories and has been part of the Mercedes young driver programme since 2019. This season he has been promoted from F4 to F2, where he has been tipped to shine. A good debut season in F2 could sway Mercedes into taking a risk on him for 2025. Antonelli and his family are close to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
Mick Schumacher – Wolff has always been so incredibly supportive of Schumacher and spoken highly of him, that you’d at least expect him to come into consideration. He knows the team from his role as reserve driver and consequently would get up to speed. But speed is also the problem. He was shocking at Haas and if he really was THAT good, he’d still be driving in F1.
Alex Albon – A more sensible choice would be the London-born Albon. A great guy who is also very quick. He has a fantastic relationship with Russell and would be the low-maintenance quick partnership similar to Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas that swept to successive titles. Albon would take little convincing to join from Williams and Mercedes would not need to pay him half of the £50million they were dishing out to Hamilton.

F1 insiders believe the deal could be completed within the next 24 hours in a bombshell move that would see Hamilton partner Charles Leclerc.
Mercedes are yet to officially confirm the Brit’s departure, but SunSport understands that staff were told of his exit in a ten-minute meeting today.
The legendary driver has been without a win since December 2021 following a string of losses to rival Max Verstappen.
Hamilton will be hoping this move finally lands him a record eighth world championship – when he is 40 years old.

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LEWIS HAMILTON’s switch to Ferrari is set to be confirmed within hours – leaving Mercedes with a vacant seat for 2025.The seven-time world champion will end his 11-year spell with Mercedes at the end of the 2024 season.
Lewis Hamilton will leave Mercedes at the end of 2024Credit: Splash
He is set to join Charles Leclerc at Ferrari next term, with Carlos Sainz in line to leave the Italian team.
Mercedes now have to scout another driver to replace the F1 legend, with a few names already among the candidates.
SunSport looks at FIVE potential candidates who could replace him and partner George Russell in the Silver Arrows.
Oscar Piastri
McLaren have sewn up Lando Norris to a new long-term contract that should (in theory) put him out of Mercedes’ reach. However, they are yet to tie down his teammate Pisatri, 22.
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The Aussie has an excellent record and won the Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles before spending a year on the sidelines with Alpine and getting his chance in F1 with McLaren.
He impressed on his debut season last year and has the potential to be a world champion.
Oscar Piastri enjoyed an outstanding debut season in F1 last yearCredit: PA
Daniel Ricciardo
The experienced driver’s future remains in doubt as he bides his time at Red Bull’s B-team.
Ricciardo would be low-hassel and offer some stability but by that time he would be 35.
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It seems unlikely that they would opt for him at this point in his career, but if he has a good season this year, he could come into the reckoning.
Daniel Ricciardo replaced Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri midway through the 2023 seasonCredit: Getty
Kimi Antonelli
You may not have heard of the Italian, but he is mustard. Still only 17, he has won at all the junior categories and has been part of the Mercedes young driver programme since 2019.
This season he has been promoted from F4 to F2, where he has been tipped to shine.
A good debut season in F2 could sway Mercedes into taking a risk on him for 2025. Antonelli and his family are close to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
Toto Wolff is a huge fan of Kimi AntonelliCredit: Getty
Mick Schumacher
Wolff has always been so incredibly supportive of Schumacher and spoken highly of him, that you’d at least expect him to come into consideration.
He knows the team from his role as reserve driver and consequently would get up to speed. But speed is also the problem.
He was shocking at Haas and if he really was THAT good, he’d still be driving in F1.
Mick Schumacher is currently Mercedes’ reserve driverCredit: Getty
Alex Albon
A more-sensible choice would be the London-born Albon. A great guy who is also very quick.
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He has a fantastic relationship with Russell and would be the low-maintenance quick partnership similar to Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas that swept to successive titles.
Albon would take little convincing to join from Williams and Mercedes would not need to pay him half of the £50million they were dishing out to Hamilton.
Alex Albon is also among the potential candidatesCredit: Getty More