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Lewis Hamilton's departure from Mercedes has led to suggestions from quite a few pundits that Fernando Alonso would be a great replacement. In terms of driving, the Spaniard does not appear to have lost any of his sharpness and was as brilliant as ever last season
Fernando Alonso is an elite talent and someone who would fill the shoes that Lewis Hamilton left at Mercedes. Even after crossing 40 years of age, his talent and diligent nature have helped him get to a level not many would have expected.
At the same time, however, he is currently part of Aston Martin, a team that has been improving exponentially. At this stage, while many F1 pundits feel Fernando Alonso should move to Mercedes, the switch doesn't make sense.
#1 The contract would be short-term
One of the biggest things Fernando Alonso would be wary of is not being offered a long-term contract. Even former star Lewis Hamilton was offered a two-year extension, even though he wanted a longer commitment.
Something similar could happen to Alonso; the Spaniard could find himself in a situation where Mercedes offer him a contract that's not generous enough.
To add to all this, there is a cloud hanging over Mercedes, and it goes by the name of Kimi Antonelli. The young sensation has impressed everyone and already seems to be in Toto Wolff's succession plan. In this scenario, is it the right thing for Fernando Alonso to go to Mercedes? It doesn't appear to be such a good idea.
#2 Fernando Alonso is the team leader at Aston Martin, he won't be at Mercedes
At Aston Martin, Fernando Alonso is the undisputed leader. When it comes to car development, his word is gospel, and whatever he says is exactly what ends up happening. Mercedes, on the other hand, is a complex operation.
While George Russell appears to be great friends with Alonso, the Spaniard is heading into the young driver's den and will have to earn the leadership role at the German team. Doing so would be a challenging task and might discourage the Spaniard from joining the German squad.
#3 Aston Martin and Mercedes are on an even keel anyway
Finally, the biggest thing in all of this has to be the fact that Aston Martin and Mercedes do not have much separating them at the moment. In the immediate future, the German team might be ahead but all that the Silverstone-based team needs is another step similar to what it had in 2023 and it would leapfrog Toto Wolff's team.
With that being the case, Alonso is not looking at a major step up from where he is at the moment. In 2025, neither of the two appear to have much of a possibility of contending for the title, and at the same time, one could claim that 2026 is an unknown for both teams.
Then what's the point in switching teams and making things more complicated for yourself? Alonso would be well advised to continue growing the Aston Martin project and hope it comes together before his time in F1 is over.
